Portfolio Returns Calculator

Track your portfolio P&L — absolute returns, CAGR, best/worst performers across all holdings

Last updated: Jul 22, 2026 | Reviewed by Calkulator Team | 2 min read

Financial

Measure the real return across all your investments

Your portfolio might have stocks, mutual funds, FDs, and gold — each with different purchase dates and returns. This calculator consolidates everything to show your overall CAGR and identify which holdings are dragging performance.

Review your portfolio returns quarterly and compare against Nifty 50 — underperformers need attention.

Holdings

Stock / Fund Name

Invested (?)

Current Value (?)

Holding Period (Years) — Optional For annualised CAGR calculation

Return Formulas

Absolute Return = (Current - Invested) / Invested — 100

CAGR = (Current / Invested)^1/Years - 1

Portfolio Weight = Holding Invested / Total Invested

Total Return

—

CAGR

—

Annualised return

Total Invested

—

All holdings

Total Current Value

—

Portfolio value today

Best Performer

—

Worst Performer

—

Holdings Performance Table

Stock/Fund	Invested	Current	P&L	Return %	Weight

Invested vs Current Value

Live Result Illustration

Visual summary — updates instantly as you enter values above

LIVE

Real-Life Guide to Using the Portfolio Returns

Weighted portfolio return calculation. Use the examples and checks below to turn the number into a practical decision.

When this calculator is useful

Reach for this when you hold several stocks or mutual funds with different amounts invested and different individual returns, and want one honest blended return figure for your entire portfolio rather than looking at each holding separately.

For most people, the best way to use the Portfolio Returns is to try the real case first, then change one input at a time. That makes the trade-off visible. For example, with a loan calculator you can change tenure while keeping the same rate; with an investment calculator you can change return assumption while keeping the same monthly contribution; with a health, education or measurement calculator you can check how much one input changes the final category.

The result should answer a practical question: Can I afford this? How much should I save? Is this score enough? Is this measurement within range? What is the safer or cheaper option? If the output does not answer the decision clearly, adjust the inputs until the scenario matches your real situation.

Real-Life Example

Three-stock portfolio blend: Priya holds ₹1,00,000 in a stock that is up 20%, ₹50,000 in one that is down 5%, and ₹50,000 in another that is up 10%, and wants to know her overall portfolio return.

1Weighting by amount invested: (100000×0.20 + 50000×(-0.05) + 50000×0.10) ÷ 200000 = (20,000 − 2,500 + 5,000) ÷ 200,000 = 11.25%, compared to a naive simple average of the three percentages which would incorrectly show 8.33%.

2Now change one input, such as rate, time, quantity, unit or score, and compare the new result with the first one.

Larger positions pull the overall portfolio return more strongly toward their own performance, so always weight by rupees invested, not by number of holdings.

Practical Advice

Use the Portfolio Returns as a planning tool, not just a number generator. Write down the inputs you used, because the final answer is meaningful only when you remember the assumptions behind it.

If the decision affects money, health, tax, safety, academics or legal compliance, keep a second check ready. That second check may be a bank quote, payslip, official rule, prescription, site measurement, mark sheet or invoice.

Common Mistakes

Simple-averaging the percentage returns of each holding instead of weighting each one by how much money is actually invested in it.
Mixing plain absolute return percentages with annualized figures like CAGR or XIRR when the holdings were bought at different times, comparing numbers that are not on the same basis.
Leaving out dividends received from the calculation, which understates the true total return of the portfolio.
Using outdated weights after adding fresh money or withdrawing from the portfolio partway through the period without recalculating each holding's current share.
Comparing the portfolio return directly to the Nifty or Sensex price change, when the index itself would have also earned dividends that a total-return comparison should include.

How to Interpret Results

The single percentage produced represents your portfolio's overall blended return for the period; benchmark it against a relevant total-return index over the same period rather than a price-only index figure to judge performance fairly.

A good interpretation looks at both the main result and the supporting values. If a page shows totals, ratios, categories, schedules or warnings, read those together instead of focusing only on the biggest number.

Portfolio Returns FAQs

Useful answers for interpreting the output, avoiding mistakes and using the result responsibly.

What does this calculator produce?

It produces a single weighted return percentage for a portfolio made up of multiple holdings with different amounts invested and different individual returns.

What formula does it use?

It sums each holding's return multiplied by its weight, where the weight is that holding's share of the total amount invested across the portfolio.

Why is this different from just averaging the returns of my stocks?

A plain average treats a ₹10,000 position and a ₹1,00,000 position as equally important, while a weighted return correctly gives more influence to the larger position, matching what actually happened to your money.

Why does my broker app show XIRR instead of this simple weighted return?

XIRR accounts for the exact dates money was added or withdrawn from the portfolio, while this weighted return is a point-in-time snapshot — the two can differ meaningfully if you invested at different times during the period.

What should I do if I added fresh money partway through the period?

Either recalculate the weights based on the current invested amounts, or switch to an XIRR-based tool that properly accounts for the timing of each cash flow.

Should dividends be included in the return figures I enter?

Yes, add dividends received to the price gain for each holding so the final weighted figure reflects true total return, not just price appreciation.

What benchmark should I compare this return against?

Compare it to the Nifty 50 or Sensex Total Return Index (TRI) rather than the plain price index, since TRI already includes reinvested dividends and is a fairer like-for-like comparison.

Is this the same thing as CAGR?

No — this is a weighted return for a specific period across multiple holdings, while CAGR annualizes a single investment's growth rate over multiple years; they answer different questions.

What is a Portfolio Returns Calculator?

Portfolio return is the overall gain or loss on your collection of investments — stocks, mutual funds, ETFs — weighted by how much you've invested in each. It accounts for different buy prices, quantities, and current values to give you a consolidated picture of your investment performance.

Key metrics include: Absolute Return (total profit %), CAGR (annualised return), and individual holding P&L. CAGR normalises returns across different time periods — a 50% gain over 2 years is 22.5% CAGR, while the same 50% over 5 years is only 8.4% CAGR.

Example Calculation

Scenario: Mr. Suresh Krishnan, 45-year-old finance professional from Chennai — holds 3 stocks bought in Jan 2023, checking performance as of Jan 2025 (2 years): Infosys 100 shares @₹1,380, TCS 50 shares @₹3,200, HDFC Bank 150 shares @₹1,520

1Total invested = (100�1380) + (50�3200) + (150�1520) = ₹1,38,000 + ₹1,60,000 + ₹2,28,000 = ₹5,26,000

2Current value (Jan 2025) at ₹1,820 / ₹3,850 / ₹1,690: = ₹1,82,000 + ₹1,92,500 + ₹2,53,500 = ₹6,28,000

3Absolute return = (6,28,000 - 5,26,000) / 5,26,000 — 100 = 19.4% | CAGR = (6.28/5.26)^(1/2) - 1 = 9.4% p.a.

✓ Result: Suresh's portfolio gained ₹1,02,000 (19.4% absolute) over 2 years — annualised CAGR of 9.4%.

How to Use the Portfolio Returns Calculator

Enter each stock or mutual fund name along with the amount invested (?) and current market value (?) for that holding.
Click "Add Holding" to include additional stocks or funds — add as many holdings as your portfolio contains.
Enter the holding period in years (e.g., 2.5 for two and a half years) to calculate annualised CAGR alongside absolute return.
Click "Calculate Returns" — see total portfolio P&L, CAGR, best/worst performers, and a holding-wise breakdown table.
Review the bar chart comparing invested vs current value across holdings to visualise your portfolio composition and performance.

Benefits

Consolidated view of all stocks and mutual funds in one snapshot — no spreadsheet needed
Instantly identifies best and worst performing holdings in your portfolio
CAGR normalises returns across different holding periods for fair comparison
Holdings weight shows concentration risk — flags over-exposure to any single stock
All calculations run locally in your browser — no data shared with any server

Key Terms

Absolute Return: (Current - Invested) / Invested — 100; total gain without accounting for time
CAGR: Compound Annual Growth Rate: (Current/Invested)^(1/Years) - 1; annualised return for fair comparison across periods
P&L: Profit and Loss — actual rupee gain or loss: Current Value - Amount Invested
Portfolio Weight: (Holding Invested / Total Invested) — 100; shows concentration in each holding
Unrealized Gain/Loss: Paper profit/loss on holdings you still own; becomes taxable only upon sale

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between absolute return and CAGR?

Absolute return measures total gain ignoring time: 50% is 50% whether earned in 1 year or 5 years. CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) annualises it for fair comparison: 50% over 2 years = 22.5% CAGR; 50% over 5 years = only 8.4% CAGR. For investments held under 1 year, use absolute return; for longer periods, CAGR is the standard benchmark metric used by mutual funds and PMS managers.

How do I account for partial sales in this calculator?

Enter only the remaining holding — the current invested amount and its current market value. Track realised profits from the sold portion separately. This calculator computes unrealized P&L on what you currently hold. For SIP investments where you've added money periodically, enter total cumulative invested amount vs total current value — the XIRR calculator gives a more accurate return for irregular cash flows.

Is CAGR shown for short-term investments under 1 year?

Yes, but interpret it carefully. Annualising a 3-month return of 5% gives ~21.5% CAGR — that is a projection, not an earned annualised return. For holdings under 1 year, focus on the absolute return figure. CAGR becomes a meaningful performance metric for investments held 1 year or longer. Mutual funds are required by SEBI to show returns as CAGR for periods above 1 year.

How does this help with LTCG and STCG tax planning?

Holdings in listed equity held over 12 months qualify as LTCG (Long-Term Capital Gains) — gains above ₹1.25 Lakh per year taxed at 12.5% (Budget 2024). Holdings under 12 months attract STCG at 20%. This calculator shows holding-wise P&L — use it alongside the LTCG/STCG Calculator to estimate tax liability before you decide to book profits. Consider harvesting gains up to ₹1.25 Lakh LTCG annually to stay within the exemption limit.

What is "portfolio weight" and why does concentration matter?

Portfolio weight = (Holding's invested amount / Total portfolio invested) — 100. A 60% weight in a single stock means one company dominates your returns and risk. Financial planners typically recommend no single equity position exceeding 10�15% of portfolio for retail investors. High concentration in one stock or sector amplifies both gains and losses — the table helps you spot and rebalance such concentrations.

pie_chartPortfolio Returns Calculator