Dead Stock Cost Calculator

Estimate what unsold, non-moving stock costs you to keep. Enter your own figures, no account needed.

By Tibeau De Grauwe, FounderUpdated September 2026

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Dead stock is inventory that has not sold for a long time and is unlikely to sell at full price. It keeps costing money through storage space, insurance, tied-up capital and handling.

Enter the value of the dead stock at cost, your own annual holding cost rate as a percentage of stock value, and how many months the stock has been or will be held. The 25% pre-filled is only an example.

Compare the result with the discount you would need to clear the stock. Often a markdown or bundle costs less than another year of holding.

Dead Stock Cost Calculator

% per year
months

Holding cost of dead stock

€ 5,000

20,000 × 0.25 × 1

How the calculation works

Holding cost = stock value × (annual holding cost rate ÷ 100) × (months held ÷ 12).

Example: €20,000 of dead stock at a 25% annual holding rate held for 12 months costs 20,000 × 0.25 × 1 = €5,000 in holding costs.

The figure does not include the write-down if the stock is eventually scrapped or sold below cost. Add that separately when deciding whether to clear the stock.

See also: Carrying cost calculator, Break-Even Point Calculator.

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Copy this code into your page. The calculator runs in the visitor's browser and includes a link back to StockFlow.

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Frequently asked questions

What is dead stock?
Dead stock (or dead inventory) is stock that has not sold for an extended period and is unlikely to sell at normal prices. Definitions of how long vary by business.
What should I use as my holding cost rate?
Add up your yearly costs of holding stock, such as storage, insurance, handling, shrinkage and the cost of capital, and divide by your average stock value. Use your own figure.
Should I clear dead stock or keep it?
Compare the further holding cost with the loss from discounting or writing it off. If the stock is unlikely to sell, holding it usually only adds cost.
Does this calculator store my data?
No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser; nothing is sent to or stored on a server.

Topic guide

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