Profit Margin Ratio Explained | CFA® Level 1 Exam Preparation

Profit Margin Ratio

Prev Question Next Question

Question

Profit margin is a ratio that:

Answers

Explanations

Click on the arrows to vote for the correct answer

A. B. C. D.

A

Profit margin, also called return on net sales, is calculated by dividing net income by net sales. This ratio measures the average portion of each dollar of revenue that ends up as profit.

Profit margin is a financial ratio that measures the profitability of a company by comparing its net profit to its net sales. It indicates the percentage of each dollar of sales that results in profit. The formula to calculate profit margin is:

Profit Margin = (Net Profit / Net Sales) * 100

Among the given options, the correct answer is A. Profit margin shows the return on net sales. Here's a detailed explanation of why option A is the correct answer:

A. Shows the return on net sales: Profit margin is a measure of how efficiently a company generates profit from its sales. By dividing the net profit by net sales and multiplying the result by 100, we get the profit margin as a percentage. This ratio helps assess the company's ability to control costs, manage pricing, and generate profit from its core operations. A higher profit margin indicates that the company is generating more profit for each dollar of sales, which is a favorable sign.

B. Is calculated as net sales divided by operating expenses: This option is incorrect. Net sales divided by operating expenses does not provide the profit margin ratio. This calculation would result in a different ratio called the expense ratio, which measures the proportion of operating expenses to net sales.

C. Yields the company's financial position at a point in time: This option is incorrect. Profit margin does not yield the company's financial position at a point in time. It focuses on profitability and the relationship between net profit and net sales, but it does not provide a comprehensive view of the company's financial position, which requires analyzing other financial statements and metrics.

D. Compares total assets to net sales: This option is incorrect. Profit margin does not compare total assets to net sales. Total assets are not directly related to the calculation of profit margin, which specifically focuses on net profit and net sales.

To summarize, profit margin is a ratio that shows the return on net sales. It is calculated by dividing the net profit by net sales and multiplying the result by 100. Profit margin measures a company's ability to generate profit from its sales and is an important indicator of its profitability.