Use the HoldingsGain Function to Track Investment Performance

The HoldingsGain function in MarketXLS is designed to help you quickly see the gain or loss on a given stock holding. By simply entering the stock symbol, you can retrieve the most up-to-date performance data, saving you time on tedious calculations and providing immediate insights into your investment portfolio performance.

Why Use This Function?

• Get instant access to your gain or loss for specific stocks by symbol.
• Save time on manual calculations by pulling data directly from MarketXLS.
• Enhance your Excel investment spreadsheets with consistently updated data.
• Keep track of portfolio performance to make better-informed decisions.
• Integrate seamlessly with other Excel formulas for advanced financial analyses.
• Leverage real-time (or up-to-date cached) data without leaving your spreadsheet.

How to Use in Excel

=HoldingsGain(Symbol)

1. In an empty cell, type “=HoldingsGain(” followed by the stock symbol in quotes, for example:
   =HoldingsGain("AAPL")
2. Press Enter to retrieve the holdings gain for that stock.
3. Optionally, reference a cell containing the symbol instead of typing it directly (e.g., =HoldingsGain(A2)).

When the function runs:
• If your MarketXLS license is valid and the symbol is recognized, you’ll see the holdings gain returned.
• If the data is currently being refreshed, you might momentarily see “Refreshing.”
• If there’s an issue with your license or the symbol is invalid, the function returns “NA.”

Parameters Explained

• Symbol is case-insensitive in many scenarios, but it’s recommended to match standard exchange notation.
• Ensure you have a valid MarketXLS license for accurate data.

Example Usage

Basic Examples

1. =HoldingsGain("TSLA")
   • Returns the current holdings gain for Tesla.
2. =HoldingsGain(A2)
   • References the symbol from cell A2 (e.g., AAPL) and displays the gain.

In these simple scenarios, the function immediately displays the combining effect of your purchase price and current market price for the given symbol.

Advanced Scenarios

1. Combining with Conditional Formatting
   • Use =HoldingsGain(A2) in a cell. Apply conditional formatting to highlight if the gain is above or below a certain threshold.
2. Integrating with Other Excel Functions
   • Combine =HoldingsGain("GOOGL") with an IF statement to detect negative gains:
     =IF(HoldingsGain("GOOGL")<0,"Loss Recorded","Gain Recorded")
3. Portfolio Dashboards
   • Create a curated list of symbols in your portfolio and reference the HoldingsGain function for each. Summarize all gains in a separate Excel table to get a real-time overview of how your entire portfolio is performing.

Common Questions and Troubleshooting

1. Why am I getting “NA”?
   • Ensure you’re using a valid stock symbol and that your MarketXLS license is active. Check if there was an exception or invalid input.
2. Why does the function sometimes show “Refreshing”?
   • MarketXLS may be updating its data. The function will return fresh data once refreshing is complete.
3. Does the function update automatically?
   • Yes. Excel will periodically recalculate functions, or you can press F9 to force a refresh.
4. Are there any best practices for referencing the Symbol?
   • Store your symbols in dedicated cells so you can easily change them without editing the formulas in each cell.

By using the HoldingsGain function, you gain quick, reliable insights into your stock holdings directly inside Excel. Whether you are managing a small personal portfolio or overseeing multiple holdings, this function helps ensure that you always have the most relevant data at your fingertips.