Share and ETF Return Calculator Australia

Attribute a completed or hypothetical holding return across market-price movement, cash distributions, brokerage, holding costs, recorded franking credits and a user-entered capital-gains reserve. The page works for one parcel of listed shares or ETF units; it does not retrieve prices or prepare a tax return.

How the total-return attribution works

Initial cash outlay is units multiplied by acquisition price plus acquisition brokerage. Net market proceeds are units multiplied by current or sale price less the entered sale brokerage. Cash income includes distributions received, while other holding costs are subtracted. The cash profit is proceeds plus cash income, less initial outlay and holding costs.

Total return divides that cash profit by initial cash outlay. Annualised return converts the terminal wealth multiple into an equivalent compound yearly rate over the entered holding period. It is not the simple total divided by years. The inflation-adjusted comparison divides the nominal annual growth factor by one plus the entered inflation rate.

Price return is only one part of investment performance

The price-only rate compares current price with acquisition price and ignores brokerage, distributions and holding costs. That number can be useful for a market movement check, but it is not total return. A security whose price is unchanged can still deliver a positive cash return through income, while high costs can reduce an apparently strong price gain.

Use the same unit basis for both prices. Adjusted historical price series may already reflect splits or distributions, while a broker contract note shows transaction price. Mixing an adjusted chart price with raw cash distributions can double count part of the return. Keep contract notes and issuer statements.

ETFs are managed funds traded on an exchange

Moneysmart explains that an ETF is a managed fund whose units can be bought and sold on an exchange. The market price should generally be close to net asset value, but it can move away from NAV, especially during volatile markets or when the underlying market is closed. The product disclosure statement describes the index or exposure, fees, risks and dealing arrangements.

An ETF’s quoted management cost is commonly reflected inside the fund’s NAV rather than billed directly to the investor. Do not enter it again as a holding cost if the market value and distributions already reflect that deduction. Enter only costs actually paid outside the fund or a deliberate planning adjustment, and label the basis.

Cash distributions and reinvestment need separate records

The distribution field is cumulative cash received. If a dividend reinvestment plan used that cash to buy more units, those additional units form new acquisition parcels with their own dates and costs. Entering the reinvested amount as cash income while leaving the extra units out of the holding can distort the result.

For a simple whole-holding performance comparison, either include all resulting units and all distributions consistently or prepare a dated cash-flow return using a money-weighted method. This page uses one initial outflow and one terminal value, so irregular purchases, sales and reinvestments require a more detailed ledger.

Franking credits are not sale cash

A franking credit represents Australian company tax attached to an eligible franked distribution. Dividend or distribution statements identify the cash amount and credit. Tax reporting can include a gross-up and tax offset, subject to eligibility rules such as holding-period and integrity requirements. The effect depends on the investor’s circumstances.

The calculator displays recorded franking credits separately and shows “return plus credits” only as an economic-benefit scenario. It does not add credits to sale proceeds or assume a cash refund. Do not estimate credits from a headline yield when an issuer or annual tax statement is available.

Brokerage belongs in both performance and cost base

Acquisition brokerage increases the initial investment and can form part of the CGT cost base. Disposal brokerage reduces net proceeds and is also relevant to the capital-gain calculation. A platform may charge subscription, advice, inactivity, foreign exchange or custody fees that need separate treatment.

Costs deducted for income-tax purposes may not also belong in a CGT cost base. The ATO requires records supporting purchases, disposals, brokerage, non-assessable payments and other adjustments. The calculator’s holding-cost field affects performance but does not automatically add that amount to the tax cost base.

The capital-gain panel is a scenario, not a tax return

The page calculates a preliminary capital gain as net proceeds less purchase cost, acquisition brokerage and entered verified cost-base additions. If the amount is positive, entered capital losses are applied up to the available gain, followed by the entered discount percentage. The result is multiplied by a user-selected tax reserve rate.

Actual CGT ordering, exemptions, residency, discount eligibility, carried-forward losses, revenue-account treatment and entity type matter. Individuals can generally access a 50% discount after at least 12 months when conditions are met, but companies cannot use the individual discount and foreign-residency periods can alter eligibility. Verify the method before setting a discount.

ETF tax statements can change the cost base

Managed fund and AMIT statements can include capital gains, foreign income, franking credits, tax-deferred or non-assessable amounts and cost-base net adjustments. Cash received is not necessarily equal to taxable distribution income. An AMIT cost-base increase or decrease must be applied as stated; it cannot be inferred from the distribution amount alone.

The cost-base additions field accepts one verified net amount for this simplified parcel. If the statement requires a decrease, multiple parcels or a reconciliation below zero, use an investment tax ledger rather than forcing a negative number into this page. Preserve every annual statement until the final tax consequences are resolved.

Annualised and inflation-adjusted rates need context

Annualisation helps compare different holding periods, but it smooths a path that may have been volatile. A four-year 8% annualised return does not mean the holding earned 8% in each year. Sequence, drawdowns and distribution timing disappear from the terminal-value formula.

The real-rate comparison uses one entered inflation rate for the whole period. Personal living costs may not match CPI, and an ETF can contain assets with different inflation sensitivity. Use the result as a purchasing-power comparison, not a forecast. For a historical analysis, use period-matched inflation data and exact dates.

Market value is not guaranteed sale proceeds

Current price multiplied by units is a mark-to-market value. A sale can execute at multiple prices, face bid-ask spread, partial fills, market movement or insufficient liquidity. The brokerage field cannot model every execution cost. A limit order and market order also involve different trade-offs.

For ETFs, consider underlying-market hours and the relationship between price, iNAV and NAV. Moneysmart suggests reading the PDS and understanding how the ETF is bought and sold. This calculator does not assess liquidity, tracking difference, leverage, currency risk or product suitability.

Return record checklist

Frequently asked questions