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Stock Average Calculator

Buying 10 shares at $50 and 15 shares at $42 gives you a $45.20 average cost per share. This stock average calculator combines at least two share purchases into one weighted average cost per share. It also shows your total shares and total cost basis so you can track how later buys change your average entry price.

FinanceBy Reviewed by CalcTide Editorial Review Team

Quick answer

Each purchase affects the average based on how many shares you bought at that price.

Purchase 1

Purchase 2

This estimate combines purchase lots only. It does not adjust for fees, taxes, stock splits, wash sales, or partial sales.

What this tells you

  • Each purchase affects the average based on how many shares you bought at that price.
  • A larger purchase pulls the average more than a smaller purchase does.
  • The result is your weighted average cost per share before fees, taxes, and broker adjustments unless you already built those into your lot prices.

How to Use

  1. 1Enter the share count and price per share for your first purchase.
  2. 2Add your second purchase, then include any extra lots you want to combine.
  3. 3Calculate to see the weighted average cost per share across all completed lots.
  4. 4Use the total shares and total cost basis to compare your average entry price with the current market price.

How It Works

Formula

Total cost basis = Σ(shares × price per share) Total shares = Σ(shares) Average cost per share = total cost basis ÷ total shares

This calculator uses a weighted average. Each lot contributes its own cost basis, found by multiplying shares by price per share. After adding all lot costs and all share counts, the combined cost basis is divided by the combined shares to get one average cost per share.

Calculation note: values are processed in the order shown above, using the current input units.

Worked Examples

Average down after a lower-price buy

Purchase 110 shares at $50
Purchase 215 shares at $42
Result$45.20 average cost per share, 25 total shares, $1,130 total cost basis

The total cost basis is $500 + $630 = $1,130. Divide $1,130 by 25 shares to get a weighted average cost of $45.20 per share.

Three-lot dollar-cost averaging example

Purchase 18 shares at $120
Purchase 212 shares at $95
Purchase 35 shares at $105
Result$105.00 average cost per share, 25 total shares, $2,625 total cost basis

These three lots add up to $2,625 of cost basis across 25 shares. Dividing $2,625 by 25 gives you a $105 average cost per share.

How the weighted stock average works

The average moves toward the lots with more shares.

PurchaseSharesPrice per shareLot cost
Lot 110$50$500
Lot 215$42$630
Combined25$45.20 average$1,130

The combined row is not a simple midpoint between $50 and $42. It is weighted by the share count in each purchase.

Common mistakes

  • Using a simple midpoint between prices instead of weighting each lot by share count
  • Leaving out fees or commissions when you want a true adjusted cost basis
  • Mixing buys, sells, stock splits, or wash sale adjustments into one average without checking broker records

Limitations

This stock average calculator combines buy lots only. It does not adjust for commissions, fees, taxes, dividend reinvestment bookkeeping, stock splits, wash sales, or partial sales. Broker statements and tax records can use more detailed adjusted cost basis rules than this simplified weighted-average estimate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Add the cost of each stock purchase, add the shares from each purchase, then divide total cost basis by total shares. That gives you the weighted average cost per share.
Stock average is weighted because a 100-share purchase should affect your average more than a 5-share purchase. The share count determines how much each price pulls the final result.
No. This calculator combines purchase lots only. Selling shares changes your remaining position and may require lot-specific accounting that this tool does not model.
Yes. Enter your original buy and your later lower-priced buy to see the new weighted average cost per share after averaging down.
Yes, if you want a closer estimate of adjusted cost basis. Add per-trade fees into each lot cost before comparing the result with broker records.
It estimates stock average calculator outputs using the visible inputs and formula assumptions on this page.

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