How Much Are My Shares Worth? Two Simple Answers

How much are my shares worth?

The quick answer: multiply the number of shares you own by today's share price. That gives you the market value of your position, the amount you would roughly get if you sold now, before fees and taxes.

The second answer is the one most people are really after: is that price fair? For that you compare the share price with an estimate of what one share is worth, its fair value.

Step 1: the market value of your shares

Here is a made-up example. Say you own 40 shares and the stock trades at 25 per share.

• 40 shares × 25 = 1,000. That is what your shares are worth on the market today.
• If the price moves to 27 tomorrow, the same 40 shares are worth 1,080.

Your broker shows this number for you. Use the latest price, and check the currency: a stock listed in London or Tokyo is priced in pounds or yen, not in your home currency.

Step 2: what your shares might be worth

The market price only tells you what others pay today. A fair value estimate looks at the business behind the share: its earnings, cash flow, balance sheet and growth. If the estimate is above the price, the share may be cheap. If it is below, the market may already expect a lot.

Staying with the made-up example: if a fair value estimate for that stock were 30 per share, your 40 shares would be worth about 1,200 on that estimate, compared with 1,000 on the market. The gap between the two numbers is the question worth looking into.

You can look this up for any listed stock with the free Fair Value Calculator. Type the name or ticker, for example Apple, and you see the price, the fair value and a quality score side by side.

Things that change the answer

• Splits: after a stock split you own more shares at a lower price. The total value does not change.
• Dividends: money you received is not in the share price anymore, so add it if you want your full result.
• Fees and taxes: what you keep after selling is lower than the market value.
• Estimates are not facts: a fair value is a model result. It can be wrong and it changes when the numbers of the business change.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate the value of my shares?

Multiply the number of shares by the current share price. 40 shares at 25 are worth 1,000.

Is market value the same as fair value?

No. Market value is what the shares trade for today. Fair value is an estimate of what one share is worth based on the business.

Where can I check the fair value of my shares?

Enter the stock in the free Fair Value Calculator to see its price, fair value and quality score.

Not financial advice and not a buy or sell recommendation. Valuations are model-based and may be wrong; past performance does not indicate future results.