Capital Gains Yield Calculator: Measure Stock Performance Easily

Use the calculator by entering what you paid for the stock and its current price; it instantly shows the percentage change. For example, $50 rising to $65 returns 30%. The S&P 500’s long-term average annual price gain is roughly 8% (NYU Stern, 2023).

Capital Gains Yield Calculator

Enter the initial price of the stock (must be greater than 0).

Enter the final price of the stock (must be 0 or greater).

★ Add to Home Screen

Is this tool helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

How to use the tool

  1. Input your purchase price. Example 1: $47.30; Example 2: $112.15.
  2. Enter today’s or the sale price. Try $59.00 for the first example or $ ninety-eight .40 for the second.
  3. Read the result. The calculator shows your capital gains yield (CGY) as a percentage.

Formula

$$ \text{CGY}= rac{\text{Ending Price}-\text{Initial Price}}{\text{Initial Price}} \times 100\% $$

Example calculations

  • Gain: Initial $50 → Ending $65: $$ rac{65-50}{50}\times100=30\%$$
  • Loss: Initial $23.75 → Ending $20.00: $$ rac{20-23.75}{23.75}\times100=-15.79\%$$

Quick-Facts

  • CGY ignores dividends and cash flows (Investopedia, 2024).
  • Average annual S&P 500 price return 1928-2022 ≈ 8% (NYU Stern Dataset, 2023).
  • Top U.S. long-term capital-gains tax rate is 20% plus 3.8% NIIT (IRS Pub 550, 2023).
  • “The wash-sale rule bars claiming a loss if you repurchase the security within 30 days” (FINRA, 2023).

FAQ

What is Capital Gains Yield?

Capital Gains Yield is the percentage change in a security’s price between purchase and sale, excluding dividends (Investopedia, 2024).

How does CGY differ from total return?

Total return adds dividends and other income to price change, whereas CGY measures price movement only (Morningstar Guide, 2023).

Why track CGY regularly?

Frequent checks highlight underperformers early, aiding faster rebalancing decisions (CFA Institute, 2022).

Can I use the tool for ETFs or mutual funds?

Yes—enter the fund’s net asset value at purchase and today; CGY remains valid when income distributions are ignored (SEC Investor Bulletin, 2023).

Does a stock split change the calculation?

Adjust initial and ending prices for split ratios; the percentage outcome stays identical because both prices scale equally (NASDAQ Education Center, 2023).

How do taxes affect my net gains?

Subtract the applicable capital-gains tax—up to 23.8% federally for long-term holdings—to see after-tax yield (IRS Pub 550, 2023).

What is a competitive CGY benchmark?

Beating the 8% historical S&P 500 price return signals outperformance over long periods (NYU Stern Dataset, 2023).

What if my CGY is negative?

A negative figure indicates a price loss; you may harvest the loss for tax purposes, observing wash-sale rules (FINRA, 2023).

Important Disclaimer

The calculations, results, and content provided by our tools are not guaranteed to be accurate, complete, or reliable. Users are responsible for verifying and interpreting the results. Our content and tools may contain errors, biases, or inconsistencies. We reserve the right to save inputs and outputs from our tools for the purposes of error debugging, bias identification, and performance improvement. External companies providing AI models used in our tools may also save and process data in accordance with their own policies. By using our tools, you consent to this data collection and processing. We reserve the right to limit the usage of our tools based on current usability factors. By using our tools, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to this disclaimer. You accept the inherent risks and limitations associated with the use of our tools and services.

Create Your Own Web Tool for Free

Related Tools: