An organisation's profit is its financial gain after the deduction of all its expenses, costs, and taxes. It represents the positive difference between total revenue (the money generated from sales) and total costs (all expenses incurred in the process of production and operation).

A positive profit indicates that the business is generating more revenue than it spends, while a negative profit (loss) suggests that expenses exceed revenue. Although profit can give the users an indication of an organization's overall success, one should also consider factors such as total revenue, market share, and customer satisfaction while assessing a business. 

Types of Profit

Gross Profit 

This is the difference between total revenue and the cost of goods sold (COGS). 

COGS includes expenses directly related to producing or acquiring the goods that are sold, such as raw materials, manufacturing costs, and direct labor. Gross profit represents a company's profitability before other expenses like marketing, administration, and overhead are factored in.

Net Profit

Also known as the bottom line or net income, net profit is the remaining amount after deducting all operating expenses, interest, taxes, and other costs from the total revenue. It reflects the true profitability of a business by accounting for all aspects of its operation.

Operating Profit 

Operating profit, also known as operating income or operating earnings, takes into account all operating expenses related to a business's core activities, such as salaries, rent, utilities, marketing, and administrative costs. It excludes non-operating income and expenses like interest and taxes.

Formula 

Here are the formulas to calculate profit of a company. 

• Gross Profit = Total Revenue - Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)
• Operating Profit = Gross Profit - Operating Expenses
• Net Profit = Total Revenue - Total Expenses
• Gross Margin = (Gross Profit / Total Revenue) * 100

Gross profit is calculated as a percentage of total revenue using this formula. It shows how much of each dollar of revenue remains as gross profit after accounting for production costs.

• Operating Margin = (Operating Profit / Total Revenue) * 100

Operating profit is calculated as a percentage of total revenue using this formula. It indicates the profitability of a company's core operations before considering interest and taxes.

• Net Margin = (Net Profit / Total Revenue) * 100

Net profit is calculated as a percentage of revenue using this formula.. It shows how much of each dollar of revenue remains as net profit after considering all expenses.

Examples

Let's consider a hypothetical scenario of a small bakery business to illustrate the different types of profit.

1. Gross Profit

Delightful Bakes generates total revenue of Rs 50,000 from their sales. The cost of ingredients, labor, and other direct production costs for these goods amounts to Rs 30,000.

Gross Profit = Total Revenue - Cost of Goods Sold

Gross Profit = Rs 50,000 - Rs 30,000 = Rs 20,000

2. Operating Profit

In addition to direct production costs, Delightful Bakes also has operating expenses. Let's say these operating expenses for the month amount to Rs 15,000.

Operating Profit = Gross Profit - Operating Expenses

Operating Profit = Rs 20,000 - Rs 15,000 = Rs 5,000

3. Net Profit

Delightful Bakes needs to consider additional expenses like interest on a business loan they took to buy baking equipment and taxes. Interest and taxes for the month sum up to ₹1,000.

Net Profit = Total Revenue - Total Expenses

Net Profit = Rs 50,000 - (Rs 30,000 + Rs 15,000 + Rs 1,000)

Net Profit = Rs 4,000

4. Gross Margin

Gross Margin = (Gross Profit / Total Revenue) * 100

Gross Margin = (Rs 20,000 / Rs 50,000) * 100

Gross Margin = 40%

5. Operating Margin

Operating Margin = (Operating Profit / Total Revenue) * 100

Operating Margin = (Rs 5,000 / Rs 50,000) * 100

Operating Margin = 10%

6. Net Margin

Net Margin = (Net Profit / Total Revenue) * 100

Net Margin = (Rs 4,000 / Rs 50,000) * 100

Net Margin = 8%

In this example, the different types of profit metrics provide insights into the bakery's financial performance. 

Gross profit indicates how much money remains after accounting for the costs of ingredients and labor. Net profit measures income after taxes and interest, whereas operating profit considers broader operating expenses.

Gross margin, operating margin, and net margin represent the profitability as percentages of total revenue. Business owners can track and evaluate these metrics to determine how profitable their business is and what changes need to be implemented.