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Total return

Total return combines price change with cash distributions and other value received over a period, using an explicitly stated reinvestment method when applicable.

By Betta Signals Research Desk · Reviewed October 24, 2026

Plain-English definition: Total return combines price change with cash distributions and other value received over a period, using an explicitly stated reinvestment method when applicable.[1]

How the term is used

Total return adds investment income to the change in value, which makes it more complete than price change alone. Fees reduce the result, and annualizing the same result can change how it is presented for comparison.[1][2]

What to check before relying on it

A provider's adjusted-close series may not equal a verified total-return calculation. Publish the date range, source records, treatment of distributions, and whether the result is gross or net of costs.

Example

A stock that rises 5% and pays a 3% distribution has a holding-period total return near 8% before reinvestment effects, taxes, and fees, not merely the 5% price return.

Price returnDistributionAnnualized return

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

Sources

  1. FINRA: Evaluating Performance — total return as price change plus investment income. Accessed October 24, 2026.
  2. FINRA: Calculating Your Investment Returns — return calculations, annualization, fees, and comparison cautions. Accessed October 24, 2026.