Enter an old value and a new value to find the percentage change, whether positive (increase) or negative (decrease).
Estimates only.
Percentage change shows how much a value shifted relative to where it started. Positive for increases, negative for decreases.
This formula works for any direction of change. Use it for price comparisons, performance tracking, or year-over-year reporting. One caveat: when the original value is zero, percentage change is undefined.
Percentage change = ((New value - Old value) / Old value) x 100. A positive result is an increase; a negative result is a decrease.
Use the same formula: ((New - Old) / Old) x 100. A positive result is an increase, a negative result a decrease.
((3 - 2) / 2) x 100 = 50%. The value increased by 50%.
Percent change compares a new value to a reference starting point and shows direction. Percent difference compares two values without a clear before/after relationship and is always expressed as a positive number.
Enter =(B1-A1)/A1 in a cell and format it as a percentage. A1 is the old value and B1 is the new value. Excel will show the sign automatically.