Returns & Trading

Break-Even Stock Price Calculator

Calculate the sale price per share needed to recover purchase and expected sale costs.

Aequimetra calculator

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Returns & Trading
Break-even sale price
Enter values and calculate to see an interpretation.
Total cost basis
Required price increase
Break-even proceeds
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Understand this calculation

This calculator estimates the per-share sale price needed for proceeds to equal your entered purchase cost and transaction fees.

Formula

Break-Even Price = (Purchase Price × Shares + Purchase Fee + Expected Sale Fee) ÷ Shares

Worked example

Buying 10 shares at $100 with $5 purchase and $5 expected sale fees produces a break-even sale price of $101 per share.

How to interpret the result

Selling above the calculated price produces a pre-tax gain under the entered assumptions; selling below it produces a pre-tax loss.

Assumptions & limitations

Taxes, bid-ask spread, slippage, dividends, currency changes and other costs are not included unless entered separately.

Practical context

When this calculator is useful

Break-even price is useful when you want to know the sale price needed to recover the purchase cost plus stated transaction fees. It is particularly relevant for smaller positions where fixed fees can materially affect the outcome.

How investors commonly use it

Investors can compare the break-even price with the current market price to understand how much appreciation is required before the trade moves above its stated cost basis. It can also help compare fee structures across brokers.

What this metric does not tell you

The calculation does not include taxes, bid-ask spreads, slippage, foreign-exchange effects or financing costs unless explicitly entered. A break-even price is a cost-recovery threshold, not a target price or estimate of fair value.

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