™A $100 holding rising to $105 and paying $2 in distributions has a simplified 7% return before fees/tax, excluding timing and reinvestment complications.
Risk & Portfolio
Total return
The combined effect of price change and income distributions over a period.
Plain-English context
Put the definition to work.
State reinvestment, external cash flows, fees and tax treatment; price change alone excludes distribution income.
Further reading and verification. Examples are hypothetical, not current quotes or recommendations. Product terms, tax treatment and market rules can change. Investor.gov — asset allocation and diversification