How to get Return to reflect only shares currently owned

Rover33

How do I get the Return column in Portfolio view to reflect the Return for just the shares that I currently own and NOT include the return for shares previously owned but sold? Example: I held IBM for many years but sold it January. In April I bought 1000 shares of IBM and now own just 1000 shares. But the Return reflect the total return of the previously owned shares plus just purchased 1000 shares. I only care about the new 1000 shares.

[Deleted User]

@rover33, do you have "Show Closed Lots" check marked - 



I am not sure if this would make a difference.

Jim_Harman

Another thing you could try would be in the Portfolio Options, select Portfolio preferences and set the starting date to after the date you sold the old lot but before you bought the new one.

Or you could group the view by account and click on the + sign next to IBM. This should show the stats for each lot you hold.

I have not tried either of these, please post back with your results.

Rover33

So I tried turning on and off "Show Closed Lots" and it makes no difference when it comes to Return. Setting the starting date after the date I sold the old lot but before buying the new lot does work, but unfortunately it applies across the board to all securities. If you could apply that "fix" on a security by security basis, that would do the trick. Or even if there was a check box to eliminate sold lots from the Return calculation, that too would work. But no such options exist as far as I can tell.

q_lurker

@Rover33
You seem to have the right understanding.  Quicken is providing a return for a different case than you and others are asking for. Quicken is also taking the easier approach as I see it. 

For example, if you bought some number of shares, received dividends, sold some of those shares, etc., Quicken would need to adjust the dividends accordingly. Not too tough to process, but factor in corporate spin-offs, return of Capital and other transactions, the complexity keeps increasing. 

I suspect there is an idea post about your request but did not find it with a quick search. 

Rover33

The Portfolio view only shows stuff that I currently own. Even if I turn on "Show Closed Lots" their value does not appear in the total value of my portfolio (because I do not own them). So it seem counterintuitive, at least to me, that the Return calculation would include them. I am only interested in the Return for the stuff I currently own. I suspect most others are as well.

q_lurker

So it seem counterintuitive, at least to me, that the Return calculation would include them. 

My spin on their calculation is that they are reporting to you on your overall investment strategy with that security.  If you have traded in and out of Apple (for example), over a 10 year period, how have you done?  That is the question they are answering.  I agree, that is not the question most people are actually asking or expecting from that "return' evaluation.