What is a stock return calculator?

A stock return calculator is a tool that calculates the total return on stock investments, including price appreciation, dividends, and the effects of dividend reinvestment (DRIP) and stock splits. Our calculator can compare multiple stocks and show returns over time periods up to 20 years.

Can I calculate returns with periodic investments?

Yes! Our stock return calculator supports periodic investments (also known as dollar-cost averaging). You can set up monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual contributions to see how regular investments affect your returns over time.

Does the calculator account for dividend reinvestment (DRIP)?

Yes, the calculator fully supports dividend reinvestment (DRIP). You can choose to reinvest dividends automatically, collect them as cash, or calculate both scenarios to compare the difference.

How many stocks can I compare?

You can compare up to 10 different stock tickers simultaneously. The calculator will normalize the date ranges across all stocks to ensure an apples-to-apples comparison.

What time period can I analyze?

The calculator supports historical data going back up to 20 years. You can select any start and end date within this range, or use quick date buttons for common periods like 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, or 10 years.

Does the calculator handle stock splits?

Yes, the calculator automatically adjusts for stock splits. All calculations account for split-adjusted prices to give you accurate return calculations.

What are the preset investment strategies?

The calculator includes quick preset investment strategies organized by category: Index-Based High Income Funds (SPY, QQQ, IWM income variants), Single Stock Income Funds (NVDA, TSLA, AAPL, MSFT, GOOGL, NFLX, COIN, MSTR, PLTR, HOOD with income strategies from YieldMax, REX Shares, Roundhill, Kurv, and GraniteShares), Crypto Income Funds (Bitcoin and Ethereum income ETFs), Commodity Income Funds (Gold and Silver), Leveraged Single Stock (2X daily leveraged ETFs from REX and GraniteShares), Dividend Growth ETFs (SCHD, DIVO, DGRO, VYM), Short Duration Bond ETFs (SGOV, BIL, MINT, CSHI, USFR, TFLO, SHV, ICSH), Real Estate Income Funds, and Fund of Funds (WPAY, YMAX).

Stock Return Calculator with Periodic Investments & DRIP

Compare your investment results with this free stock return calculator. Calculate returns with periodic investments (monthly, quarterly, or annual contributions), dividend reinvestment (DRIP), and automatic stock split adjustments. Compare up to 10 stocks over 20 years with interactive charts and risk analysis.

Key Features

Periodic Investment Calculator - Calculate returns with regular contributions (monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually). Perfect for dollar-cost averaging strategies.
Dividend Reinvestment (DRIP) - Automatically reinvest dividends to see the power of compound returns. Compare scenarios with and without dividend reinvestment.
Stock Split Adjustments - All calculations automatically account for stock splits to ensure accurate return calculations.
Compare up to 10 Stocks - Side-by-side comparison of multiple tickers with normalized date ranges for fair comparisons.
20 Years of Historical Data - Analyze returns over extended time periods with up to 20 years of historical price and dividend data.
Interactive Charts - Visualize returns with interactive line and area charts, risk vs return scatter plots, and comprehensive risk analysis.
Risk Analysis - Includes volatility, Sharpe ratio, and maximum drawdown metrics for comprehensive risk assessment.
Return Breakdown - See how much of your return came from price appreciation vs dividend income.
Works with 8,000+ Tickers - Supports stocks, ETFs, and other securities with comprehensive historical data coverage.
Quick Preset Investment Strategies - Save time with pre-configured ticker groups for popular investment strategies:
- Index-Based Income Funds - SPY, QQQ, IWM and their income variants
- Single Stock Income Funds - NVDA, TSLA, AAPL, MSFT, GOOGL, NFLX, COIN, MSTR, PLTR, HOOD
- Crypto Income ETFs - Bitcoin and Ethereum income strategies
- Commodity Income Funds - Gold and Silver income ETFs
- Leveraged ETFs - 2X daily leveraged strategies
- Dividend Growth ETFs - SCHD, DIVO, DGRO, VYM
- Short Duration Bonds - SGOV, BIL, MINT, CSHI
- Real Estate Income Funds - Real estate investment trusts and ETFs
- Fund of Funds - WPAY, YMAX and other weekly paying funds

How to Use the Stock Return Calculator

Step 1: Select Stocks - Start by typing either the company name or ticker symbol into the search box. You can select up to 10 ticker symbols for comparison. Works with stocks, ETFs, and other securities.

Quick Tip: Use the "Load Preset" dropdown menu to quickly load popular investment strategy groups like index income funds, single stock income funds, crypto income ETFs, commodities, leveraged ETFs, dividend growth funds, short duration bonds, real estate funds, and fund of funds.

Step 2: Set Your Investment Parameters - Enter your initial investment amount (default: $10,000). Optionally enable periodic investments to simulate regular contributions like monthly or quarterly deposits.

Step 3: Choose Date Range - Select your start and end dates, or use quick date buttons (Month to Date, Quarter to Date, Year to Date, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, 10 years). The calculator automatically normalizes dates across all selected tickers for fair comparison.

Step 4: Configure Dividend Options - Choose whether to reinvest dividends (DRIP), collect them as cash, or calculate both scenarios to see the difference.

Step 5: Analyze Results - View detailed return metrics, interactive charts, risk analysis, and return breakdowns. All calculations automatically account for stock splits.

Pro Tip: To compare to market indices like the S&P 500, use the corresponding ETF (e.g., SPY for S&P 500, QQQ for NASDAQ, DIA for Dow Jones).

Important Disclaimer: This calculator does not account for investment taxes, fees, or transaction costs. Returns shown are pre-tax and do not reflect the impact of capital gains taxes, dividend taxes, brokerage fees, or expense ratios. Investors should consult with a tax professional and perform their own due diligence before making investment decisions. Actual after-tax returns may vary significantly based on individual tax situations, holding periods, and account types (taxable, IRA, etc.).

Index	Ticker To Use
S&P 500	SPY
Dow Jones Industrial Average	DOW
NASDAQ	QQQ
Russell 2000	IWM

Once you have your selection setup, hit "GO!".

Calculator Form

Ticker Symbol

Quick Add Indices

SPY

DOW

QQQ

IWM

Date Range

Click a button above to quickly set the date range, or manually select dates below.

Start Date

End Date

Initial Investment ($) Default: $10,000 (Maximum: $1,000,000)

Enable Periodic Investments Add regular contributions on top of your initial investment

Dividend Reinvestment

Reinvest Dividends (DRIP)

Do Not Reinvest Dividends

Calculate Both Scenarios

Choose how dividends are handled in the calculation.

Understanding Results

First, if any dates were adjusted, there will be a "Notes" section in the results.

There are a series of data rows in the table. There is basic information such as the start and end date, starting and ending share price and the number of shares at the start and end. Again, note that dividends are assumed reinvested.

The calculations are based on your selected initial investment amount (default: $10,000, which can be customized in the form above). The investment value is the real value of the investment at the end of the time period. This will take into consideration stock splits and dividends.

For dividend investors, a separate line item will show how many dividends were collected during the period.

The total return is the change in value based on both changes in stock price as well as reinvested dividends over the entire investment horizon.

The annualized return is the average compounded return experienced over the investment time period.

The results table provides comprehensive data for each stock including: ranking (showing which investments performed best), risk metrics (volatility, Sharpe ratio, maximum drawdown, and more), return breakdown (showing what percentage of returns came from price appreciation versus dividend income), comparison metrics (how each stock compares to the best performer), and detailed investment values accounting for all contributions, dividends, and stock splits.

Tip: Click on any ticker column header in the results table to open a new tab with detailed analysis for that ticker.

Investment Performance Summary

Total Return Chart

Understanding Total Return Chart:

This chart shows the day-to-day values of your hypothetical investment over the selected time period. The chart plots the exact investment value for each day, accounting for all contributions, dividends, and stock splits.
Hovering over a data point shows the investment value and any gain or loss on that particular day.
Use the range selector buttons (1M, 3M, YTD, 1Y, All) to quickly zoom to different time periods, or use the navigator window at the bottom to adjust the visible date range.
A variety of export options are available by clicking the menu icon in the top-right corner of the chart.

Return Breakdown by Source

Understanding Return Breakdown:

Each donut chart shows how a stock's total return is composed of two components:
Price Return (from stock price appreciation, shown in blue) and
Dividend Return (from dividend payments and reinvestment, shown in gray).
The size of each segment represents the percentage contribution to total return. The center displays the total return percentage. This visual breakdown helps identify whether a stock's returns come primarily from price growth or dividend income.

Risk vs Return Analysis

Understanding Risk vs Return:

This scatter plot shows each stock's risk-adjusted performance. The X-axis represents volatility (risk), and the Y-axis represents annualized return (CAGR). Stocks in the upper-left quadrant offer higher returns with lower risk (best), while stocks in the lower-right quadrant have higher risk with lower returns (worst). Bubble size represents maximum drawdown - larger bubbles indicate higher drawdown risk. This helps identify the best risk-adjusted investments.

Drawdown Analysis

Understanding Drawdown:

Drawdown shows the peak-to-trough decline in investment value over time. This chart visualizes when and how much each investment declined from its previous peak.
Lower drawdowns indicate more stable investments, while deeper drawdowns show periods of significant losses.
The red flags (MDD) mark when the maximum drawdown occurred for each stock, and the dotted reference lines show the max drawdown value.
This helps investors understand the worst-case scenarios and recovery periods for each investment.

Risk Metrics Comparison

Understanding Risk Metrics:

These charts compare key risk metrics across all investments.
Volatility measures price swings (lower is better for stability).
Sharpe Ratio measures risk-adjusted returns using total volatility (higher is better - shows return per unit of risk).
Sortino Ratio measures risk-adjusted returns using downside deviation only (higher is better - better for asymmetric returns).
Calmar Ratio shows return per unit of maximum drawdown risk (higher is better).
Maximum Drawdown shows the worst peak-to-trough decline (lower is better).
Use these to identify the most stable and efficient investments.

Support

Finally, if you have any questions, comments or want to just leave some feedback, feel free to reach out to me.

If you are interested in API access to the stock return calculator, consider signing up for a paid plan where API access is included. You can use this in Excel or a Google Sheet to support your investing tracking.