How to Read a Zerodha or Groww Portfolio Screenshot

A holdings screen commonly shows the security, quantity, average purchase price, current or last available price, and an estimated profit or loss. Read those fields together. A screenshot is a snapshot of one screen, not a complete record of your investments or trading decisions.

Calculate value before comparing positions

For each stock, multiply quantity by the displayed price to estimate its current holding value. Then divide that value by the total value of all holdings shown. Share counts alone cannot measure concentration: 100 shares priced at ₹100 are worth less than 20 shares priced at ₹1,000.

Worked example: the largest share count is not the largest holding

Suppose a screenshot shows 20 shares of A at ₹1,000 each, 100 shares of B at ₹100 each, and 10 shares of C at ₹2,000 each. Their values are ₹20,000, ₹10,000 and ₹20,000. The displayed portfolio totals ₹50,000, so the weights are 40%, 20% and 40%. B has the most shares but the smallest value. If A alone falls 25% while the others stay level, this displayed portfolio falls ₹5,000, or 10%. Real holdings can move together, and the full account may contain assets that are absent from the screenshot.

What average price and P&L actually show

The average price is usually a broker-calculated cost basis for the quantity still held. Estimated unrealised P&L is roughly (current price − average price) × quantity. For 20 shares with an average of ₹900 and a displayed price of ₹1,000, that is ₹2,000 before any charges or tax treatment. A low average does not prove patience or skill; it may reflect purchase timing, transfers, corporate actions, or the broker’s accounting method. A high average does not reveal why you bought or whether a loss will persist. Check contract notes and statements if the figure matters.

Day change answers a different question

Day change compares the latest available price with the previous close. Total P&L compares the displayed price with the broker’s cost basis. Either can be positive while the other is negative. A delayed quote or recent corporate action can also distort a quick reading. Neither number, on its own, says whether a holding still suits your goal.

Questions to take to your full records

• What percentage of the complete portfolio, across accounts and funds, does each company and sector represent?
• Does the broker’s cost basis match contract notes and corporate-action history?
• What time horizon and cash need does each holding serve, and what loss could you absorb?
• If trading frequency worries you, what do your dated orders, contract notes and charges show? A holdings screenshot cannot establish when or why trades happened.

SEBI encourages investors to consider risk, diversification and their own objectives. Use a screenshot to identify questions, then verify the figures against the broker statement and the rest of your finances before making a decision.