How to Calculate Stock Gain

Compute the cost basis for the stock trade. Cost basis consists of the original (purchase) price of the stock plus all fees and commissions paid for the purchase and sale of the stock. For example, if you bought 100 shares of a stock at $10/share ($1,000) and paid fees of $10 when you bought the stock and $12 to sell it, your cost basis is $1,000 plus $10 plus $12 for a total of $1,022.
Calculate the total proceeds. Your total proceeds include the money received from selling the stock plus the cash value of dividends received while you owned the shares. For instance, if you sold the 100 shares from Step 1 for $15/share ($1,500) and received a total of $50 in dividend income during the time you held the shares, your total proceeds are $1,500 plus $50, or $1,550.
Calculate stock gain or loss. Subtract the cost basis from total proceeds. If your cost basis is $1,022 (Step 1) and total proceeds are $1,550 (Step 2) your stock gain is $1,550 minus $1,022, which equals $528. If you get a negative number (meaning the cost basis is greater than total proceeds) you had a loss rather than a gain.
Figure your percentage gain or loss. It’s usually most useful to compare percentage gain or loss to see how well different investments have done. To convert stock gain into percentage stock gain, divide the stock gain by the cost basis and multiply by 100. In the example above, you would divide $528 (stock gain) by $1,022 (cost basis) and multiply the result by 100 to get a percentage stock gain of 51.7 percent.

How to Buy Stock in Walt Disney Co.

Decide if you want to use a traditional brokerage to buy stock in Walt Disney Co. or open a direct stock purchase plan. Buying stock through a broker is usually more expensive (even with discount brokers) and requires higher investment minimums. However, you can use your brokerage account for other investments as well. A DSPP can only be used for the sponsoring company's stock, and you must adhere to the terms of the plan prospectus.
Open a cash account with a discount broker if you want to buy a share in Walt Disney Co. on the open market. Disney stock trades on the NYSE with the ticker symbol DIS. To open a cash account, you will need to provide a valid ID (driver's license, state ID or military ID), your income, place of employment and other personal information. A minimum deposit is required, usually $1,000. Once you've opened your account, all you have to do is place your order to buy a share of Walt Disney Co. with your broker.
Learn how the Walt Disney direct stock purchase plan works. The plan is set up with the company transfer agent, which is Disney Shareholder Services. The required investment is $250. This is payable in $50 (or more) monthly installments if you arrange for automatic debiting from your bank account. Each stock purchase transaction carries a fee of $1 if made by electronic funds transfer, or $5 if by check or money order. A per-share fee of 1 cent is also charged (subject to change without notice). There is a one-time setup fee of $10.
Enroll in the Disney DSPP if that's the best investment option for you. Read the plan prospectus before you complete the enrollment form. Both are available online (see Resources) or you can order paper copies by calling Disney Shareholder Services at 1-818-553-7200.
Select the features you want for your Disney DSPP. Dividends are reinvested automatically without charge. You can also get free safekeeping of your stock certificates, and you may transfer ownership of shares at no charge (to another member of your family, for example). Like most direct stock purchase plans, the Disney DSPP can be set up as a traditional or Roth IRA.

How to Redeem Stock Certificates (5 Steps)

Identify the stock certificates you wish to redeem. If they are the only stocks in your possession, this will be an easy task. However, if you only wish to redeem specific stock certificates, it will be necessary to compile a list of the certificates you wish to sell, along with identifying characteristics, such as ID numbers, issue dates and other information that your broker can use to initiate the transaction.
Notify your broker that you have stock certificates you wish to redeem for cash. Your broker can assess the current status of the stock and advise you on any options you may have that will help you earn the most return from the sale.
Determine the minimum price that you are willing to accept for the stock certificates. While your desire is to sell them at the current market price, that is not always a possibility. There is the chance that the demand for the shares will not be particularly high. When this is the case, you may have to sell the certificates at a discounted price in order to attract potential buyers.
Finalize the details of the transaction. Once a buyer has been found and the purchase price agreed upon, authorize your broker to accept the offer and begin processing the transaction. Generally, it is possible to complete the transaction in one trading day, unless the purchase is made late in the day. When that is the case, it may be the following business day before the transaction is fully completed.
Designate the mode of payment. A quick and secure method is to have the payment for the stock certificates electronically transferred into the bank account of your choice. The seller can either forward the payment to your broker, who then arranges the transfer or send it directly upon receiving the hard copy or electronic copy of the stock certificates that were purchased.