Definition Definition

What Is Profit Margin? Formula and Types of Profit Margin with Example

Profit Margin is a measure of a firm’s return on sales that is computed by dividing net income by net sales. One ratio of particular importance in evaluating a firm’s income statements is the profit margin. The formula to calculate the profit margin is given below -

 

Profit Margin = (Net Income / Net Sales) x 100

 

A firm’s profit margin tells it what percentage of every dollar in sales contributes to the bottom line. An increasing profit margin means that a firm is either boosting its sales without increasing its expenses or that it is doing a better job of controlling its costs. 

In contrast, a declining profit margin means that a firm is losing control of its costs or that it is slashing prices to maintain or increase sales.

Types of Profit Margin (PM)

There are a few different types of these margins when it comes to business and they are -

  • Net PM
  • Gross PM
  • Operating PM
  • Pretax PM

 

For example, the company’s net income is $8000 and net sales are $10000. So, the profit margin would be: ($8000 / $10000) x 100 = 80%. If a company has met 80% profit margin by the middle of the year, that means it has acquired a $0.8 profit on each dollar spent.

 

Use of the term in Sentences

  • Constantly declining profit margins cannot be a good sign for any business.
  • Generating higher net income can ensure a higher profit margin.

 

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