AuctionsPlus has launched a new Trade and Finance Calculator, giving buyers clearer visibility over trading margins and finance costs before placing a bid.
The tool brings together Price Discovery data, feeding assumptions and finance estimates in one place, helping producers make more informed purchasing decisions.
A key feature is the inclusion of an estimated finance cost within each assessed lot detail, based on StockCo’s livestock finance model.
Buyers can now see an indicative cost to finance a specific lot, expressed per head, per day. The estimate is displayed alongside lot assessments, allowing users to factor finance into their margin calculations without leaving the platform.
Rather than focusing on interest rates, the tool presents a clear cost-of-carry figure, keeping the emphasis on overall trading performance.
For producers wanting to test scenarios in more detail, the Trading and Finance Calculator enables a full trading model from purchase through to sale.
Users are guided through five steps including: choosing their intended selling option, enter purchase weight and price, add feeding details such as expected daily gain and days on feed, include their target sale specifications like dressing percentage and wool or skin values where relevant, and then review the calculated outcomes.
Based on these inputs, the calculator estimates projected sale weights, revenue, trading margins and the cost of financing through StockCo. Users can adjust weight gain, price or timeframe assumptions to see how small changes affect overall returns.
The tool is designed for traders, backgrounders and finishers seeking greater clarity on their numbers before committing to a purchase.
The calculator was developed following feedback from AuctionsPlus users who wanted a simple way to explore margins and finance costs before speaking with a financier.
AuctionsPlus Chief Executive Officer Wynard Snyman said buyers increasingly expect greater transparency before committing to livestock purchases.
“Buying livestock online has become a core part of the industry and as the market has evolved, so too have buyer expectations. Today, buyers want to understand their potential margin before they commit to a purchase, which also includes the cost of finance,” Mr Snyman said.
“The AuctionsPlus Trade Calculator is the only tool in Australia that uses live, lot-level market data to help buyers assess a purchase in real time. It gives buyers a clearer picture of potential return before they commit, not after the fact.
“AuctionsPlus was built to connect agriculture by linking buyers and sellers across the country. Now we’re also connecting them with practical market intelligence that helps manage risk and back their judgement, particularly in unpredictable markets.”
The calculator integrates StockCo’s livestock finance structure. Under this model, StockCo retains ownership of the livestock during the finance term, meaning the livestock does not sit on the producer’s balance sheet. This can assist with capital management and cash flow flexibility.
StockCo National Livestock Manager Andrew Kearns said using the calculator with clients had helped provide a clearer understanding of whole-of-trade costs.
“It’s giving people an opportunity to fully stock or to buy as many as they want, knowing there’s an option for finance there,” Mr Kearns said.
“They can do their budgeting too. They know what it’s going to cost and what they’re hoping to achieve at the back end. With all that information on the table, it gives them more confidence going forward.”
Mr Kearns said the tool was particularly relevant as more producers reconsider finance options amid tighter margins and economic uncertainty.
By integrating trade modelling, finance estimates and credit visibility within the AuctionsPlus platform, the new calculator aims to support disciplined buying and more confident decision-making in fast-moving livestock markets.
Try out AuctionsPlus' Trade and Finance Calculator here.