Hey there, fellow go-getters! As a CFO myself, I know how important it is to keep our company’s profitability in check. But let’s be real here, finance and accounting jargon can be confusing and often intimidating to those not in the know. But don’t worry, my friends, I’ll be breaking it down for you in a way that’s easy to understand!
At its most basic level, profitability is simply how much money a company has left after accounting for all its expenses. This is commonly referred to as the company’s “bottom line”. But how do we calculate it? Let’s take a look.
The first thing we need to know is our revenue. Revenue is essentially the money we bring in for our goods or services. Once we have our revenue number, we then need to subtract all of our expenses. This includes things like employee salaries, rent, and materials. Once we subtract these expenses from our revenue, we’ll have our net income or in other words, our profitability.
Net Income = Revenue - Expenses
Now, let’s go into a bit more detail about each of these components.
Revenue is the money we bring in for our goods or services. This can be a bit tricky to calculate if your company offers multiple products or services. In this case, you’ll want to break down your revenue by product or service to get a more accurate look at where your money is coming from.
Keep in mind that revenue isn’t always the same as cash. For example, if you’re selling products on credit, you’ll have revenue coming in but you won’t have cash until those accounts are paid.
Expenses are the costs associated with running your business. This includes everything from employee salaries to electricity bills. There are two types of expenses – fixed and variable.
Fixed expenses are expenses that stay the same no matter how much you produce. This might include things like rent or insurance.
Variable expenses are expenses that change depending on how much you produce. This might include things like materials or labor costs.
It’s important to keep track of your expenses and make sure you’re not overspending. Remember, the goal is to have a high profitability!
Now that we know how to calculate our profitability, let’s take a look at something called profitability margin. Profitability margin is the percentage of revenue that is left after accounting for all the expenses.
The formula for profitability margin is:
Profitability Margin = Net Income / Revenue x 100
For example, if your revenue is $100,000 and your net income is $20,000, your profitability margin would be:
Profitability Margin = 20,000 / 100,000 x 100 = 20%
So, in this example, 20% of your revenue is left after accounting for all your expenses.
Now that we’ve covered how to calculate profitability, you might be wondering – why is this important? Well, there are a few reasons.
First, profitability is a good indication of your company’s financial health. If you’re consistently making a profit, it means you’re doing something right. If you’re consistently losing money, it might be time to reevaluate your business strategy.
Second, profitability is important if you’re looking to attract investors. Investors want to see that your company is profitable and has the potential for growth.
Finally, profitability is important for long-term sustainability. If you’re not making a profit, you won’t be able to invest in new products or services, hire more employees, or expand your business.
So, there you have it – a simple explanation of company profitability. Remember, profitability is all about how much money you’re making after accounting for all your expenses. Keep track of your revenue and expenses, calculate your profitability margin, and make sure you’re consistently making a profit. With these tips, you’ll be on your way to financial success in no time!
