Log Return Calculator

This page calculates the Log Return for an investment, given the initial and final values and the number of time periods. Click the Help tab for full instructions on how to use this tool.

Initial Value:
Final Value:
Number of Periods:

The Log Return Calculator is used to calculate the Log Return of an investment, given the initial and final values of the investment and the number of periods the investment was held for.

Initial Value - Use this field to enter the initial value of the investment. This is the value of the investment on the day you bought it. This value must be a positive amount.

Final Value - Use this field to enter the final value of the investment. This is the the current value of the investment, or the value when you sold it. This value must be a positive amount.

When entering values, you can use whatever currency you like, as long as both values are in the same currency. You don't need to use a currency symbol such as $ or £ (and doing so will cause an error).

Number of Periods - Use this field to enter the number of periods the investment was held for. Usually this would be the number of years. This value must be a positive amount.

Click the Calculate button to calculate the Log Return. The value, displayed as a percentage, will be shown below the button. This value depends on the number of periods, so for example, if you have entered a number of years, the rate will be an annual rate, and if you have entered a number of days, this will be daily rate.

If any of the values have been entered incorrectly an error message will be displayed next to the field. Fix the error, then click Calculate again to perform the calculation.