Audited 05 Aug 2026·Last updated 08 Aug 2026·5 citations·Tier 1·0 uses

Earnings Per Share Calculator

Earnings Per Share Calculator: calculate basic EPS after preferred dividends using weighted-average common shares.

Earnings Per Share Calculator

Basic earnings per share
3.00
Basic earnings per share under the page's named business finance convention.
Income available to common shareholders
900,000.00
Preferred dividends as share of net income
10.00

Background.

A reader arrives at Earnings Per Share Calculator to calculate basic EPS after preferred dividends using weighted-average common shares. Basic EPS allocates income available to common holders across shares outstanding during the period. For that reason, this page names its convention as “basic EPS = (net income − preferred dividends) ÷ weighted-average common shares.”

The editable entries are net income available to all shareholders, preferred dividends, weighted-average common shares. Use values from the document or measurement that governs this earnings per share question; the defaults are only the worked fixture below. Before relying on the number, check this earnings per share boundary: dilutive options, convertibles, participating securities, stock splits and continuing-operations presentation require diluted-EPS rules.

U.S. SEC, Beginners' Guide to Financial Statements; income-statement and balance-sheet relationships documents the convention or governing rule used here. The earnings per share output is a transparent scenario under those facts: it does not manufacture an unentered market price, professional determination, carrier quote, legal eligibility finding or locally adopted code value.

What is earnings per share calculator?

Earnings Per Share is the relationship behind this decision: basic EPS allocates income available to common holders across shares outstanding during the period. On this page it means basic EPS = (net income − preferred dividends) ÷ weighted-average common shares. Dilutive options, convertibles, participating securities, stock splits and continuing-operations presentation require diluted-EPS rules; that is the line between the reported quantity and a broader business finance analysis.

How to use this calculator.

  1. Confirm that “basic EPS = (net income − preferred dividends) ÷ weighted-average common shares” matches the earnings per share convention you need.
  2. Replace the fixture values for net income available to all shareholders, preferred dividends, weighted-average common shares with dated values from the governing record.
  3. Keep all currencies, measurement units and time periods on the same basis before calculating.
  4. Read basic earnings per share together with this boundary: Dilutive options, convertibles, participating securities, stock splits and continuing-operations presentation require diluted-EPS rules.

The formula.

basic EPS = (net income − preferred dividends) ÷ weighted-average common shares

The calculation uses basic EPS = (net income − preferred dividends) ÷ weighted-average common shares. In this earnings per share model, the entered terms are net income available to all shareholders, preferred dividends, weighted-average common shares. Basic EPS allocates income available to common holders across shares outstanding during the period, which is why the relationship is presented under this name rather than as a universal alternative. Dilutive options, convertibles, participating securities, stock splits and continuing-operations presentation require diluted-EPS rules. Calculations keep full decimal precision through the relationship and round only the returned display values.

A worked example.

Example

Using Net income available to all shareholders = 1,000,000; Preferred dividends = 100,000; Weighted-average common shares = 300,000, the page applies basic EPS = (net income − preferred dividends) ÷ weighted-average common shares. The hand-check totals are Basic earnings per share = 3; Income available to common shareholders = 900,000; Preferred dividends as share of net income = 10; in particular, basic earnings per share is 3. No rate or quantity beyond the listed fixture is inserted. Basic EPS allocates income available to common holders across shares outstanding during the period. Dilutive options, convertibles, participating securities, stock splits and continuing-operations presentation require diluted-EPS rules.

weighted Average Common Shares300,000
preferred Dividends100,000
net Income1,000,000

Frequently asked questions.

What exactly does the basic earnings per share represent?
For Earnings Per Share, it represents the result of basic EPS = (net income − preferred dividends) ÷ weighted-average common shares under the entered facts. Basic EPS allocates income available to common holders across shares outstanding during the period; the 3 fixture should be read on that basis.
Which earnings per share convention does this page choose?
It chooses “basic EPS = (net income − preferred dividends) ÷ weighted-average common shares.” That earnings per share variant is supported by U.S. SEC, Beginners' Guide to Financial Statements; income-statement and balance-sheet relationships; a governing contract, policy, tax year or locally adopted rule that specifies another treatment must take priority.
What is the easiest way to get this earnings per share result wrong?
Dilutive options, convertibles, participating securities, stock splits and continuing-operations presentation require diluted-EPS rules. Check that earnings per share issue before interpreting the output or comparing it with another model.
Can the worked earnings per share example be checked without this site?
Yes. Use Net income available to all shareholders = 1,000,000; Preferred dividends = 100,000; Weighted-average common shares = 300,000, follow basic EPS = (net income − preferred dividends) ÷ weighted-average common shares, and compare your final figures with Basic earnings per share = 3; Income available to common shareholders = 900,000; Preferred dividends as share of net income = 10. Keep the earnings per share intermediates unrounded so formatting does not create a false difference.

How this page was produced

Published by
Quanta Calculator
Primary sources
5 cited below
Method
basic EPS = (net income − preferred dividends) ÷ weighted-average common shares
Published
Last verified

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