Last Updated on Nov 30, 2022 by
Several investors, financial professionals, and accountants use the net profit ratio to evaluate a company’s financial health. The net profit ratio helps investors to track how much profit a company is making from its sales. Furthermore, the ratio indicates whether operating costs and overhead costs are contained. Without further ado, let us explore the other important aspects of the net profit ratio.
Table of Contents
What is the net profit ratio?
Net profit ratio, also known as net profit margin or net profitability ratio, measures a company’s profitability after taxes. It is a percentage of a company’s profit in a particular period. This can be achieved by taking the production and distribution costs of the products and other expenses.
Calculating net profit ratios helps businesses determine if their ongoing business practices are helping them generate extra revenue against their investment in production.
Depending on the net income, the net profit ratio can be negative or positive. A negative net margin indicates unprofitability and vice-versa. The rise and drop in the net profit ratio is not only a useful indicator to assess a company’s current financial status, but it can also help predict its profits based on revenues.
What does the net profit ratio of a company signify?
The net profit evaluates the amount of net income/profit made against revenue in percentage form. It is called the net profitability ratio because it measures the ratio of a company’s net profits to its revenue.
It is one of the most important metrics that indicates a company’s overall financial health. By using the net profit ratio of a company, you can make comparisons between two or more companies (on the profit front) from the same industry, irrespective of their size.
How to calculate the net profit ratio?
The net profit ratio formula is as below:
Net profit ratio = Net Profit/Sales x 100
Where,
Net profit = Revenue – Expenses – Operating and other expenses – Interest – Taxes
| Company X | Company Y | ||
| Revenue | a | 200 | 2000 |
| Operating expense | b | 150 | 1500 |
| Gross profit | c = a-b | 50 | 500 |
| Interest +Depreciation and Amortization | d | 5 | 50 |
| PBT | e = c-d | 45 | 450 |
| Tax (10%) | f | 4.5 | 45 |
| Net Profit | g = e-f | 40.5 | 405 |
Now here, the net profit ratio for companies X and Y would be as follows:
Company X = 40.5 / 200 x 100 = 20.25%
Company Y = 405/ 2000 x 100 = 20. 25%
You can see clearly that despite company Y being 10 times bigger than company X, the net profit ratio of both these companies is the same. They have varying costs on all fronts, from EBITDA to taxes, yet the profits that both these companies earn remain the same. Investors would naturally favour a company that makes the same profit at a smaller cost.
Merits of net profit ratio
- A net margin is a useful tool for measuring a company’s overall profitability.
- As the net profit ratio is determined in percentage, it determines the amount of profit generated from every Rupee in sales while also considering all business expenses involved in earning those revenues.
- A high net profit ratio indicates that a company can effectively control its costs while also providing goods or services at a significantly higher price than its costs.
- With gross margin, you can understand the trends of an organization’s COGS and determine its profitability within the scope of production.
- The net margin indicates a company’s efficiency for cost-containment measures over time.
Demerits of net profit ratio
- Companies may influence their net profit ratio by increasing the sale of one of their assets. By doing so, they can boost profits temporarily. In other words, they can be grossly misguiding.
- By understanding the net profit ratio of a company, you cannot evaluate its management efficiency.
- The net profit ratio significantly differs between companies of different industries. For instance, while comparing an automotive company with a food processing company, the automotive business may show a high-profit margin but lower revenue. In contrast, the food processing company may have a lower profit margin ratio but greater revenue. Experts, therefore, believe it is wiser to compare only companies from the same sector with similar business models.
- While calculating profit margins, one may misinterpret the profit margin ratio and cash flow figures. For instance, a low net profit ratio does not necessarily determine a poorly performing company, and a high net profit ratio does not necessarily mean high cash flows.
- Companies periodically publish their financial reports that state the net income as a separate item in the income statement. Financial experts believe it is wiser to consider different ratios and financial metrics for drawing a company’s analysis. It is ideal to use the net profit ratio in a company’s financial analysis while also referring to gross profit margin and operating profit margin.
Difference between the net profit ratio and the gross profit ratio
Here’s a table to understand the basic difference between the net profit ratio and the gross profit ratio
| Net profit ratio | Gross profit ratio |
| The net profit ratio is the ratio of the income after deducting the expenses, taxes, interest, and other expenses from the sales to sales. | The gross profit ratio is the income left after deducting the operating expenses from the revenue to the revenue. |
| We consider the taxes, interest, and other expenses to determine the net profit ratio. | We don’t consider taxes, interest, and other expenses to determine the gross profit ratio. |
| It helps in determining a company’s financial health. | It is not an accurate indicator to determine a company’s financial health. |
Conclusion
There are many profitability metrics available to an investor. Of all, the net profit ratio is the most popular. It evaluates the amount of net profit a company makes against revenue in percentage form. Through public income statements, anybody can assess where a company stands. But, one should never rely just on one metric, ratio or tool to analyse a company’s position and profitability. A holistic approach will always keep an investor ahead in the fiercely competitive market.
FAQs
What is the net profit margin ratio?
Net profit margin ratio is a profitability ratio to measure the company’s profits to the sales made in the company. It is a good indicator to determine the financial health of a company.
What is the net profit margin ratio formula?
Net profit margin ratio = Net Profit/Sales x 100
Where,
Net profit = Revenue – Expenses – Operating and other expenses – Interest – Taxes.
Are the net profit ratio and net profit the same?
No. The net profit ratio is a percentage that helps determine a company’s profitability. It uses the net profit to determine the percentage. While net profit is the revenue minus all the expenses and taxes made by the company.
Does the net profit ratio include taxes?
Yes. To calculate the net profit ratio, you need to include the taxes levied on the company.
What is a good net profit ratio?
A good net profit ratio varies with each sector and the company. However, most industries consider 10% as an average ratio and above 20% as an above-average or high net profit ratio.
What is the net operating profit ratio?
The net operating profit ratio determines the amount of money a company makes from its operations. The formula for the operating profit ratio is
Operating Profit Ratio = Operating Profit / Net Sales.
What does a low net profit ratio mean?
A low net profit ratio can result from high operating costs, less demand in the market or insufficient management and poor pricing strategies.
As an insatiable reader and learner, I’ve spent the last two years exploring the world of finance. With my creative mind and curious spirit, I love making complex finance topics easy and fun for everyone to understand. Join me on my journey as we navigate the world of finance together!
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