How to Calculate Percentage Increase in Investments

April 24, 2025 4 min read

Calculating the percentage increase in your investments is crucial for understanding your portfolio's performance and making informed financial decisions. It allows you to assess how your investments are growing over time and compare different investment options.

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The Percentage Increase Formula

The basic formula for calculating percentage increase is:

Percentage Increase = [(New Value - Original Value) / Original Value] * 100

Where:

  • New Value: The value of the investment at the end of the period.
  • Original Value: The value of the investment at the beginning of the period.

This simple formula provides a clear picture of the relative growth of your investment.

Step-by-Step Calculation

  1. Determine the Original Value: Find the initial value of your investment. This could be the purchase price of a stock, the initial deposit into a savings account, or the starting value of your portfolio.
  2. Determine the New Value: Identify the current value of your investment. This represents the value at the end of the period you're analyzing.
  3. Calculate the Difference: Subtract the original value from the new value to find the amount of increase.
  4. Divide by the Original Value: Divide the amount of increase by the original value.
  5. Multiply by 100: Multiply the result by 100 to express the increase as a percentage.

Example Calculation

Let's say you invested $5,000 in a stock, and after one year, it's worth $5,800. Here's how to calculate the percentage increase:

  1. New Value: $5,800
  2. Original Value: $5,000
  3. Difference: $5,800 - $5,000 = $800
  4. Divide: $800 / $5,000 = 0.16
  5. Multiply: 0.16 * 100 = 16%

Therefore, your investment experienced a 16% increase.

Why is Percentage Increase Important?

Percentage increase provides a standardized way to measure investment performance, allowing you to:

  • Compare Investments: Easily compare the growth of different investments, regardless of their initial values.
  • Track Progress: Monitor your portfolio's growth over time and identify trends.
  • Make Informed Decisions: Evaluate the effectiveness of your investment strategy and make adjustments as needed.

Using percentagefinder.org to Simplify Calculations

While the formula is straightforward, using our percentage calculator at percentagefinder.org makes the process even simpler. Our tool quickly solves percentage problems with just a few clicks. You can find what percent of a number is, figure out what percentage one number is of another, or calculate how much something increased or decreased in percentage terms. Just type your numbers into the boxes, hit calculate, and you'll get your answer right away. It works great on your phone or computer, so you can quickly solve percentage problems whenever you need to.

Beyond Simple Increase: Considering Other Factors

While calculating the percentage increase provides a good overview, remember to also consider:

  • Inflation: Account for inflation to determine the real return on your investments.
  • Fees and Taxes: Factor in any fees or taxes associated with your investments, as these can impact your net return.
  • Dividends and Distributions: Include any dividends or other distributions received from your investments.

Our other calculators can help you factor in these variables too! Check out our ROI Calculator and Average Return Calculator using the formula Percentage Increase Formula, and use the output with our Percentage Calculator for more insight.

Calculate Percentage Decrease

It's also helpful to know how to calculate percentage decrease, especially if your investments take a dip. This uses a similar formula, but subtracts the final value from the initial value.

Percentage Decrease = [(Original Value - New Value) / Original Value] * 100