Investment Average Annual Return - Add Earliest To Date Returns Option [Edited]

mslater96

The Security Detail View currently provides gain/loss by comparing cost basis to market value. I would like for this page to also show Return on Investment (ROI).

Jim_Harman

You can see ROI for your investments over various periods by adding one of the ROI columns to an Investing > Portfolio view.

Note that this may give unexpected results if you have sold a portion of your initial investment, because it is based on Quicken's "Amount invested"

For periods of 1 year or more, I find the Avg. Annual Return (%) columns or the Investment Performance Report more useful. These do an IRR calculation to measure your return.

mslater96

I was aware of the Investment Performance Report. I was not aware of the option to add Avg. Annual Return (%) to the portfolio view. That is very helpful, thank you. However, there is not an option to add a column for average annual return for more than 5 years. It would be helpful if there was an option to include earliest to date returns.

Jim_Harman

One issue with an "Earliest to date" IRR calculation is that the calculation actually starts when you first purchase the security. That is why the numbers for the 3 and 5 year returns for a security you have held for less than 3 years are the same. Thus comparisons between securities you have held for different periods may not be meaningful.

mslater96

Jim, understood. I still think it would be helpful, at least for me.

Jim_Harman

For ROI, you can click on Options at the top right of the Portfolio view and select Portfolio preferences. There you can set the starting date for return calculations. If you add the ROI (%) column, it will show the percentage gain from the date you selected to the As of date.. This is the total gain, not annualized.

Unfortunately there is no corresponding Avg. Annual Return (%) column.

mslater96

Correct. I have updated the topic title to request annualized Avg Annual Return (%) for Earliest to Date.