Stop-loss calculator: work out risk per share & total position risk

Enter the current price, a candidate stop and your share count to see exactly how much capital is at risk before you place the order. The live app can calculate and grade model-based stop levels with market data.

Formula

Risk per share = Current price − Stop price. Total risk = Risk per share × Shares.

What you need

Current price
Candidate stop price
Number of shares
Maximum risk you are willing to accept

Worked example

A stock trades at $120 and you hold 50 shares. With a stop at $111, risk per share is $9, total risk is $450, and the stop sits 7.5% below the current price.

Why measure risk before choosing a stop

A stop level only means something once you translate it into money. Two stops that look similar on a chart can put very different amounts at risk depending on how many shares you hold. Working out total risk first tells you whether the level is acceptable, or whether the position is simply too large for a sensible stop.

Use the current price, not your entry

Once a position has moved, what you stand to lose from here is the distance between the current price and the stop, not between your entry and the stop. Anchoring to the current price shows how much of your open profit a stop would give back.

Check the stop against normal volatility

If the stop sits inside the stock’s typical daily range, ordinary noise can trigger it. Compare the distance with the Average True Range (ATR): a stop less than one ATR away is very tight for most stocks.

Common questions

How do I calculate stop-loss risk?

Subtract the stop price from the current price to get risk per share, then multiply by the number of shares for total risk. Divide risk per share by the current price for the percentage downside.

What is a good stop-loss distance?

It depends on the stock’s volatility. Many investors size the distance as a multiple of ATR, for example 1.5× to 3×, rather than one fixed percentage for every stock.

Profit Lock

Profit Lock helps investors turn an open position into a clear exit plan. It compares several stop models, grades the quality of each level, and shows the risk before you make a manual decision.

Explore Profit Lock