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Price return

Price return measures the percentage change in a security's price between two points without adding cash distributions.

By Betta Signals Research Desk · Reviewed October 24, 2026

Plain-English definition: Price return measures the percentage change in a security's price between two points without adding cash distributions.[1]

How the term is used

Price return can answer how the quoted price changed, but it understates the holder's economic result when dividends or other distributions were paid. Split handling must also be consistent.[1]

What to check before relying on it

Label price return plainly and record dates, currency, data source, and corporate-action adjustments. Do not compare it with a total-return benchmark without explaining the mismatch.

Example

A price rising from $100 to $105 produces a 5% price return. If the investment also paid $3 in cash, the holding-period total return is higher before taxes and costs.

Total returnAdjusted closeDistribution

Research last reviewed: October 24, 2026. This definition is educational and does not evaluate a particular security.

Sources

  1. S&P Dow Jones Indices: S&P U.S. Indices Methodology — price-return index treatment of regular cash dividends. Accessed October 24, 2026.