Tool · Drawdown math

Recover from a loss. Know the gain it actually takes.

A loss and its recovery are not symmetric. After a drawdown you rebuild from a smaller base, so the percentage gain needed to break even is always larger than the percentage you lost. Set a portfolio value and a drop to see the exact gain required — and watch the recovery slope steepen as losses deepen.

Inputs · Drawdown Recovery

Break-even math

Initial Portfolio Value$100,000

$1.0K$250.0K$500.0K$750.0K$1.00M

Percentage Drop30%

1%25%50%75%90%

Why losses hurt more than they look

A loss shrinks the capital base you recover from, so the gain needed to break even is always larger than the percentage you lost. A 30% drawdown leaves $70,000 that must grow 42.9% to return to $100,000.

Recovery Curve

−30%

Value at trough

$70.0K

Required gain

+42.9%

DrawdownRecovery path

Quick Summary

USD

Required gain to break even

+42.9%

1.43× harder than the −30% fall

Initial portfolio value$100,000

Value after drop$70,000

Capital lost$30,000

Required recovery gain+42.86%

Recovery difficulty1.43×