GROSS PROFIT MARGIN ON SALES Definition

GROSS PROFIT MARGIN ON SALES (GPM) is one of the key performance indicators. The gross profit margin gives an indication on whether the average markup on goods and services is sufficient to cover expenses and make a profit. GPM shows the relationship between sales and the direct cost of products/services sold. It measures the ability of both to control costs and to pass along price increases through sales to customers. The gross profit margin should be stable over time. A persistent gradual decrease is likely to indicate that productivity needs to be increased to return profitability back to previous levels. Generally:

>40% = Indicates a sustainable competitive advantage

< 40% = Indicates competition may be eroding margins

< 20% = There is likely no sustainable competitive advantage

Formula: Gross Profit / Net Revenue

Learn new Accounting Terms

PEAK is the period of maximal use or demand or activity; for example, at peak commute hours, street traffic can be unbelievable. See OFF-PEAK.

UNIT-OF-WORK-PERFORMED METHOD is where revenue and cost of sales are recorded as units of work are delivered. This is most suitable to production-type contracts where many units of a product are produced in a continuous process, e.g. automobile manufacture.

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