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Calculate Stock Price for Loss Recovery

Find out exactly what price you need to break even after a market dip.

Knowing your break-even point helps you plan exits.

What is Loss Recovery?

Loss recovery is the process of determining the exact stock price needed for your position to break even after a decline. It answers: 'At what price will my portfolio value equal my total investment?'

Understanding Break-Even Price

Your break-even price is simply your average cost per share (including fees). If you bought 100 shares with a total cost of $5,000 (including commissions), your break-even is $50 per share.

Break-Even Formula
Break-Even = Total Cost / Total Shares

Recovery Strategies

Wait for Price Recovery

Hold and wait for the stock to return to your break-even price

Average Down

Buy more shares at a lower price to reduce your break-even point

Cut Losses

Exit the position and redeploy capital to better opportunities

The Math Behind Recovery

If a stock drops 50%, it needs to gain 100% to recover. This asymmetry is why averaging down can be effective—it lowers the required recovery percentage.

Loss Scenario
Initial Price:$100
After 50%% Drop:$50
Recovery Needed
From $50 to $100:+100%
A 50% loss requires a 100% gain to recover!

Practical Example

Your Position

Shares Owned:200
Average Cost:$80.00
Total Invested:$16,000
Current Price:$60.00
Current Value:$12,000
Unrealized Loss:-$4,000 (-25%)

Recovery Analysis

Option 1: Wait
Stock needs to rise to $80 (+33.3%%)
Option 2: Average Down
Buy 100 more @ 60 → New avg: 73.33
Now you only need the stock to reach 73.33 instead of 80 to break even—

Eliminate Guesswork

Stop guessing how many shares you need. Enter your current position and your target recovery price to get a surgical plan.

Use Recovery Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a stock need to rise to recover a 30% loss?

It needs to rise approximately 42.9%. If you bought at $100 and it dropped to $70 (-30%), it needs to reach $100 again, which is a 42.9% gain from $70. Use our calculator's averaging down feature to see how buying more shares can reduce this requirement.

Should I always try to recover losses?

Not necessarily. Sometimes cutting losses early and moving on is the better strategy. Only hold or average down if you still believe in the investment thesis. Don't throw good money after bad just to 'get back to even.'

What is "Break-Even"?

Break-even is the price at which your portfolio value equals your total invested capital (including fees).

How many shares do I need to recover?

The deeper the dip, the more shares you need to buy to move the needle. Use our calculation to find the exact number.

Ready to calculate your own?

Use our high-precision stock average calculator to get instant results including commissions and averaging down targets.

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