Net Profit Ratio

Written by True Tamplin, BSc, CEPF®

Reviewed by Subject Matter Experts

Updated on February 12, 2023

Net Profit Ratio: Definition

The net profit ratio (also known as net profit margin) is the net profit after tax as a percentage of net sales.

Net Profit Ratio: Formula

The formula to calculate the net profit (NP) ratio is:

net-profit-ratio-formula

Both the components in this formula—net profit and net sales—are usually found in the trading and profit and loss account or income statement.

The net profit ratio, taken together with the return on equity (ROE) ratio, shows how well the company marks up its goods for sale and how well it manages to contain its indirect expenses within the gross profit margin.

As explained in the gross profit ratio, certain companies with heavier overheads need to have a higher gross profit margin.

If we take gross profit as a percentage of sales (gross profit ratio) and then relate it to net profit as a percentage of sales (net profit ratio), we can evaluate the efficacy of a company's pricing policy.

If a high gross profit margin does not translate into an adequate net profit percentage, one of the reasons why could be that higher prices are affecting the sales volume. As a result, the overall profit is dropping.

The other reason could be that the indirect expenses (i.e., overheads) are too high in relation to the volume of business handled.

Net Profit Ratio: Example

The following information was extracted from the accounting records of John Trading Concern:

  • Gross sales: $4,850,000
  • Net profit before tax: $960,000

Required: Calculate the company's net profit ratio.

Solution

NP ratio = ($480,000*/$4,800,000**) × 100

= 10%

*Net profit after tax = 960,000 × 0.5

= $480,000

**Net sales = $4,850,000 - $50,000

= $4,800,000

Interpretation

John Trading Concern's net profit ratio is 10%. For a trading company, that's generally a good return on sales.

However, a true evaluation of management's efficiency in generating a return on sales is possible only when this ratio is compared along with others relevant to the industry, or with the industry's average net profit ratio.

Net Profit Ratio Calculator

[show_file file="webcalculators/ratios/net-profit-ratio.txt"]

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About the Author

True Tamplin, BSc, CEPF®

True Tamplin is a published author, public speaker, CEO of UpDigital, and founder of Finance Strategists.

True is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF®), author of The Handy Financial Ratios Guide, a member of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing, contributes to his financial education site, Finance Strategists, and has spoken to various financial communities such as the CFA Institute, as well as university students like his Alma mater, Biola University, where he received a bachelor of science in business and data analytics.

To learn more about True, visit his personal website or view his author profiles on Amazon, Nasdaq and Forbes.