How to Calculate Gross Profit Margin: 8 Steps (with Pictures) (2024)

  • Categories
  • Finance and Business
  • Business
  • Running a Business
  • Business Finances
  • Accounting

Download Article

Explore this Article

parts

1Calculating Gross Profit Margin

2Understanding the Terms

Other Sections

Video

Related Articles

References

Article Summary

Co-authored byMichael R. Lewis

Last Updated: November 18, 2023Approved

Download Article

Gross profit is a way to compare the cost of the goods your company sells and the income derived from those goods. All you need for the gross profit formula is your total revenue, and the cost of goods sold (COGS). You can use your gross profit margin to quickly and meaningfully compare your company to your competitors, the industry as a whole, or even your own past performance. Our how-to guide breaks it down for you, including examples.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Calculating Gross Profit Margin

Download Article

  1. 1

    Look up Net Sales and Cost of Goods Sold. The company's income statement lists both values.

  2. 2

    Gross Profit Margin = (Net Sales - Cost of Goods Sold) ÷ Net Sales.

    Advertisem*nt

  3. 3

    Example. A company makes $4,000 selling goods that cost $3,000 to produce. Its gross profit margin is How to Calculate Gross Profit Margin: 8 Steps (with Pictures) (7), or 25%.

  4. Advertisem*nt

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Understanding the Terms

Download Article

  1. 1

    Understand Gross Profit Margin. The Gross Profit Margin (GPM) is the percentage of revenue a company has left over after paying direct costs of producing goods.[1] All other expenditures (including shareholder dividends) must come out of this percentage. This makes the GPM a good indicator of profitability.

  2. 2

    Define Net Sales. A company's net sales equal its total sales minus returns, allowances for damaged merchandise, and discounts.[2] This is a more accurate measure of incoming money than total sales alone.

  3. 3

    Measure Costs of Goods Sold. Abbreviated COGS, this figure includes the cost of materials, labor, and other expenses directly related to the production of goods or services.[3] It does not include costs of distribution, labor that does not go into goods production, or other indirect costs.

  4. 4

    Avoid confusing Gross Profit with GPM. The Gross Profit equals the Net Sales minus the Cost of Goods Sold. This is expressed in dollars or other units of currency. The formula above converts Gross Profit to GPM, a percentage, for easy comparison with other companies.

  5. 5

    Understand why these figures are important. Investors look at Gross Profit Margin to see how efficiently a company can use its resources. If one company has a GPM of 10% and a second company has a GPM of 20%, the second company is making twice as much money per dollar spent on goods. Assuming other costs are roughly equal between the two companies, the second company is probably the better investment opportunity.

    • It's best to compare companies in the same sector. Some goods and services have a lower average profit margin than others.
  6. Advertisem*nt

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

  • Question

    How do I calculate the profit, expressed as a percentage, that the vendor makes when selling a 180 airtime voucher?

    Michael R. Lewis
    Business Advisor

    Michael R. Lewis is a retired corporate executive, entrepreneur, and investment advisor in Texas. He has over 40 years of experience in business and finance, including as a Vice President for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. He has a BBA in Industrial Management from the University of Texas at Austin.

    Michael R. Lewis

    Business Advisor

    Expert Answer

    Subtract the cost of the voucher from the price received from its sale. the difference is gross profit. To calculate the Gross Profit Margin percentage, divide the price received for the sale by the gross profit and convert the decimals into a percentage. For example, 0.01 equals 1%, 0.1 equals 10 percent, and 1.0 equals 100 percent.

    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHow

    YesNo

    Not Helpful 6Helpful 10

  • Question

    How do I calculate the gross as a percentage if I have the GP in dollars and the net sales in dollars?

    Michael R. Lewis
    Business Advisor

    Michael R. Lewis is a retired corporate executive, entrepreneur, and investment advisor in Texas. He has over 40 years of experience in business and finance, including as a Vice President for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. He has a BBA in Industrial Management from the University of Texas at Austin.

    Michael R. Lewis

    Business Advisor

    Expert Answer

    Net Sales is Gross Sales less returns, discounts, and allowances for damaged or missing goods. Calculate Gross Sales by adding back those amounts if known to Net Sales, then divide your Gross Profit by Gross Sales. This will provide the answers in decimals that can be converted into a percentage.

    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHow

    YesNo

    Not Helpful 1Helpful 5

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

      Advertisem*nt

      Video

      Tips

      Submit a Tip

      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

      Submit

      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How toCalculate ProfitHow toUse Tally
      How toWrite an Accounting LedgerHow toCalculate Attrition RateHow toCalculate NPVHow toLearn Accounting on Your OwnHow toWrite an Audit ReportHow toPrepare a Bank ReconciliationHow toCalculate Depreciation on Fixed AssetsHow toPrepare a Financial ReportHow toPrepare an Asset RegisterHow toMake a Balance Sheet for AccountingHow toBecome QuickBooks CertifiedHow toAccount for Customer Deposits

      Advertisem*nt

      About This Article

      How to Calculate Gross Profit Margin: 8 Steps (with Pictures) (32)

      Co-authored by:

      Michael R. Lewis

      Business Advisor

      This article was co-authored by Michael R. Lewis. Michael R. Lewis is a retired corporate executive, entrepreneur, and investment advisor in Texas. He has over 40 years of experience in business and finance, including as a Vice President for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. He has a BBA in Industrial Management from the University of Texas at Austin. This article has been viewed 1,433,079 times.

      9 votes - 56%

      Co-authors: 19

      Updated: November 18, 2023

      Views:1,433,079

      Categories: Featured Articles | Accounting

      Article SummaryX

      To calculate gross profit margin, start by subtracting the cost of goods sold from the net sales. Then, divide the difference by the net sales to find the gross profit margin. If you're not sure what the net sales and cost of goods sold are, you can look them up on the company's income statement. For more tips from our Financial co-author, like how to interpret gross profit margin, scroll down!

      Did this summary help you?

      In other languages

      Español:calcular el margen bruto de ganancias

      Deutsch:Die Bruttogewinnspanne errechnen

      中文:计算毛利率

      Русский:вычислить коэффициент валовой прибыли

      Français:calculer la marge bénéficiaire brute

      ไทย:คำนวณกำไรขั้นต้น

      Bahasa Indonesia:Menghitung Margin Laba Kotor

      العربية:حساب هامش إجمالي الربح

      Nederlands:Brutowinstmarge berekenen

      हिन्दी:सकल लाभ की गणना करें

      • Print
      • Send fan mail to authors

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,433,079 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • How to Calculate Gross Profit Margin: 8 Steps (with Pictures) (33)

        Bashir Qabaha

        Oct 24, 2016

        "I have a certificate in accounting field, this article is really helped me by understanding how GPM is important,..." more

      More reader storiesHide reader stories

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisem*nt

      How to Calculate Gross Profit Margin: 8 Steps (with Pictures) (2024)

      FAQs

      How do you calculate 8 profit margin? ›

      Different Formula for Calculating Profit
      1. Profit Percentage = Profit/ Cost Price * 100.
      2. Net Profit = Total Revenue – Total Cost – Indirect Costs.
      3. Gross Profit Margin = (Gross Profit/ Total Revenue)* 100.
      4. Net Profit Margin = (Net Profit/ Total Revenue)*100.
      5. Average Profit = Total profits/ Number of years of profit.
      Jan 11, 2024

      How do I calculate my gross profit margin? ›

      The gross profit margin formula, Gross Profit Margin = (Revenue – Cost of Goods Sold) / Revenue x 100, shows the percentage ratio of revenue you keep for each sale after all costs are deducted.

      How do you calculate gross profit step by step? ›

      Gross profit is calculated by subtracting the cost of goods sold (COGS) from net revenue. Net income is calculated by subtracting all operating expenses from gross profit. Net income reflects the profit earned after all expenses, while gross profit focuses solely on product-specific costs.

      How do you calculate profit margin for dummies? ›

      Generally speaking, a good profit margin is 10 percent but can vary across industries. To determine gross profit margin, divide the gross profit by the total revenue for the year and then multiply by 100. To determine net profit margin, divide the net income by the total revenue for the year and then multiply by 100.

      What is the profit margin formula with an example? ›

      For example, if the net income of the organization is $30,000 and its net sales is $45,000 then you can perform the following calculation:Profit margin = ($30,000 / $45,000) x 100Profit margin = (0.667) x 100Profit margin = 66.7%This figure represents the sum that the business gets to keep after paying its expenses.

      What is the formula for net gross profit margin? ›

      The gross profit margin is calculated by taking total revenue minus the COGS and dividing the difference by total revenue. The gross margin result is typically multiplied by 100 to show the figure as a percentage. The COGS is the amount it costs a company to produce the goods or services that it sells.

      How do you mark up gross profit margin? ›

      Gross profit is the total profit dollars. That is, it is simply the difference between the net sales and cost of goods sold(COGS). Markup and Gross Margin, on the other hand, is the percentage of profit; one based on cost and the other based on selling price.

      What is the gross profit method? ›

      Gross Profit Method

      The gross profit (or gross margin) method uses the previous year's average gross profit margin (i.e. sales minus cost of goods sold divided by sales) to calculate the value of the inventory. Keep in mind the gross profit method assumes that gross profit ratio remains stable during the period.

      How to calculate a profit? ›

      The basic formula that is used to calculate the profit in a business or a financial transaction, is: Profit = Selling Price - Cost Price.

      What is the formula of gross profit answer in one sentence? ›

      Step 3: Use the gross profit formula to find out the total gross profit i.e Gross Profit = Revenue - Cost of goods sold.

      What is the formula for gross profit quizlet? ›

      The formula for determining gross profit is net sales minus cost of goods sold.

      How to calculate gross margin? ›

      Gross margin may appear as a dollar value or as a percentage.
      1. The dollar formula is: Total Revenue – COGS = Gross Margin.
      2. The percentage formula is: Total Revenue – COGS / Net Sales x 100.

      What is the easiest way to calculate margin? ›

      To determine the net profit margin, we need to divide the net income (or net profit) by the total revenue for the year and then multiply by 100.

      What is a good gross profit margin? ›

      But for other businesses, like financial institutions, legal firms or other service industry companies, a gross profit margin of 50% might be considered low. Law firms, banks, technology businesses and other service industry companies typically report gross profit margins in the high-90% range.

      What is 8s profit margin? ›

      Profit margin is a measure of how much money a company is making on its products or services after subtracting all of the direct and indirect costs involved. It is expressed as a percentage.

      Is 8% profit margin good? ›

      An NYU report on U.S. margins revealed the average net profit margin is 7.71% across different industries. But that doesn't mean your ideal profit margin will align with this number. As a rule of thumb, 5% is a low margin, 10% is a healthy margin, and 20% is a high margin.

      How do I calculate a 10% profit margin? ›

      Change 10 percent to its decimal form of 0.10. Subtract 0.1 from 1, equalling 0.9. Divide the original price of your product by 0.9. This number is what your sale price should be if you want a 10 percent profit margin.

      What is a 30% margin on $100? ›

      For instance, a 30% profit margin means there is $30 of net income for every $100 of revenue.

      Top Articles
      What Is a Private Company?
      Wide receiver positions: X, Y, slot explained
      Ups Customer Center Locations
      Tattoo Shops Lansing Il
      Radikale Landküche am Landgut Schönwalde
      Printable Whoville Houses Clipart
      Fat Hog Prices Today
      CLI Book 3: Cisco Secure Firewall ASA VPN CLI Configuration Guide, 9.22 - General VPN Parameters [Cisco Secure Firewall ASA]
      Affidea ExpressCare - Affidea Ireland
      Undergraduate Programs | Webster Vienna
      No Hard Feelings Showtimes Near Metropolitan Fiesta 5 Theatre
      Calamity Hallowed Ore
      Chuckwagon racing 101: why it's OK to ask what a wheeler is | CBC News
      United Dual Complete Providers
      Globe Position Fault Litter Robot
      litter - tłumaczenie słowa – słownik angielsko-polski Ling.pl
      Ssefth1203
      Https E24 Ultipro Com
      Gma Deals And Steals Today 2022
      Snow Rider 3D Unblocked Wtf
      Destiny 2 Salvage Activity (How to Complete, Rewards & Mission)
      Golden Abyss - Chapter 5 - Lunar_Angel
      683 Job Calls
      Smartfind Express Login Broward
      Ullu Coupon Code
      Mami No 1 Ott
      Mobile crane from the Netherlands, used mobile crane for sale from the Netherlands
      10 Best Quotes From Venom (2018)
      Wheeling Matinee Results
      FREE Houses! All You Have to Do Is Move Them. - CIRCA Old Houses
      Why Are The French So Google Feud Answers
      Miss America Voy Board
      O'reilly Auto Parts Ozark Distribution Center Stockton Photos
      Sun Haven Pufferfish
      Exploring The Whimsical World Of JellybeansBrains Only
      Log in or sign up to view
      Craigslist Boats Eugene Oregon
      Timberwolves Point Guard History
      140000 Kilometers To Miles
      Infinite Campus Farmingdale
      Dogs Craiglist
      Engr 2300 Osu
      SF bay area cars & trucks "chevrolet 50" - craigslist
      Powerboat P1 Unveils 2024 P1 Offshore And Class 1 Race Calendar
      Fluffy Jacket Walmart
      Take Me To The Closest Ups
      All Buttons In Blox Fruits
      Makemkv Key April 2023
      Deshuesadero El Pulpo
      OSF OnCall Urgent Care treats minor illnesses and injuries
      Selly Medaline
      Latest Posts
      Article information

      Author: Duncan Muller

      Last Updated:

      Views: 5613

      Rating: 4.9 / 5 (59 voted)

      Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

      Author information

      Name: Duncan Muller

      Birthday: 1997-01-13

      Address: Apt. 505 914 Phillip Crossroad, O'Konborough, NV 62411

      Phone: +8555305800947

      Job: Construction Agent

      Hobby: Shopping, Table tennis, Snowboarding, Rafting, Motor sports, Homebrewing, Taxidermy

      Introduction: My name is Duncan Muller, I am a enchanting, good, gentle, modern, tasty, nice, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.