Capital Gains Yield Calculator
Enter a beginning value and ending value to calculate capital gains yield — the percentage return that comes purely from price appreciation. Optionally add income received to compare CGY against total return in one view.
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Capital gains yield isolates the return from price movement only — it excludes dividends, interest, or any other income. Add income received to also see total return alongside CGY.
What capital gains yield means
Capital gains yield (CGY) measures the percentage return from an asset's price movement alone, relative to its beginning value. It answers one focused question: how much of the return came from price appreciation or depreciation, ignoring any income the asset generated?
This makes CGY useful when comparing assets on a price-performance basis, or when you want to separate price-driven gains from dividend yield, interest income, or distributions. A stock may rise in price and also pay dividends — capital gains yield isolates the appreciation component, while total return combines both.
Capital gains yield formula
The standard formula is:
If the ending value is lower than the beginning value, the result is negative — the investment produced a capital loss over the period.
When income received during the period is known, total return is:
If the asset paid no income, capital gains yield and total return are identical. When income is present, total return will exceed CGY by the income yield component.
Example calculation
Suppose you bought an asset for $10,000 and it rose to $11,250 over one year.
- Beginning value = $10,000
- Ending value = $11,250
- Capital gain = $11,250 − $10,000 = $1,250
Now suppose the asset also paid $300 in dividends during the year. The dividends do not change CGY — they only affect total return:
The 3-percentage-point gap is the income yield component contributed by the dividend.
Capital gains yield vs total return
These two metrics are closely related but distinct. Understanding the difference helps you attribute returns to their correct source.
- Capital gains yield — measures only change in market value
- Income yield — measures only cash payments received (dividends, interest, distributions)
- Total return — combines both: capital gains yield plus income yield
If you are comparing two assets on pure price performance — for example, a growth stock versus an income fund — CGY gives a cleaner comparison than total return because it excludes dividend policy differences between the two.
When to use this calculator
- Review stock, ETF, or fund price appreciation over a holding period
- Compare multiple assets based only on market-price movement
- Separate dividend yield from capital appreciation in a portfolio analysis
- Determine whether investment gain came mostly from price movement or income
- Build performance attribution reports that split CGY from income yield
Common mistakes
- Using sale proceeds after fees but purchase price before fees — this understates the cost basis and inflates CGY
- Confusing CGY with total return by including dividends in the ending value instead of the income field
- Comparing CGY across different holding periods without noting the time frame — 15% over 6 months is very different from 15% over 5 years
- Forgetting that taxes on realized gains can materially reduce net-of-tax return
- Using book value or cost average instead of original market value when acquired in multiple tranches
FAQ
What is capital gains yield?
Capital gains yield is the percentage return from price change alone — calculated as (Ending Value minus Beginning Value) divided by Beginning Value, expressed as a percentage. It excludes any income received during the holding period.
Does capital gains yield include dividends?
No. Dividends, interest, and other income distributions are excluded from capital gains yield. They belong in the income yield component of total return. Enter income separately in this calculator to compare CGY with total return side by side.
Can capital gains yield be negative?
Yes. If the ending value is lower than the beginning value, CGY is negative — the investment produced a capital loss over the period.
Is capital gains yield the same as total return?
Only when no income was received. If the asset paid dividends or interest during the period, total return will be higher than CGY by the income yield amount.
Does this calculator account for taxes?
No. This calculator measures pre-tax return only. Real after-tax return depends on whether the gain is short-term or long-term, the applicable tax rate, any loss offsets, and jurisdiction-specific rules.
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Disclaimer
This calculator is for educational and planning purposes only. It does not provide investment, legal, tax, or accounting advice. Real-world returns may differ due to fees, taxes, reinvestment timing, bid-ask spreads, and market volatility.