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Understanding Revenue vs Profit: What’s the Difference

By Jeannine Mancini

Published on 26 Apr 2023 6 min read

Business owners must know the difference between revenue and profit to make informed financial decisions. Both revenue and profit are important metrics for measuring a company’s success, but they represent different aspects of a business’s financial performance. Revenue refers to the total amount of money a business brings in through its sales, while profit is the amount of money a business earns after deducting all of its expenses. Read on to learn the key differences between revenue and profit and why understanding these concepts is essential for any business owner or entrepreneur.

What Is Revenue

Revenue refers to the total amount of money a company earns from selling its goods or services within a specific period, such as a quarter or fiscal year. This includes all forms of income, such as sales, fees, interest earned on investments, and any other revenue streams. Measuring a company’s revenue is important since it shows the top line of its financial statement. Although high revenue is usually a positive indicator, it’s not the only metric that determines a company’s financial health.

A company’s revenue can be impacted by various factors such as:

• Market demand
• Pricing strategy
• Competition
• Marketing
• Sales efforts

For example, if a business operates in a highly competitive market, it may need to lower its prices to attract customers, which could lead to a reduction in revenue. Conversely, if a company invests in marketing and sales efforts to enhance brand awareness and customer acquisition, it may witness an increase in revenue. Revenue can fluctuate due to both internal and external factors, so companies must monitor their revenue trends to make well-informed decisions about future growth and strategy.

Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)

Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) is a measurement used by subscription-based companies to determine the amount of money they anticipate receiving from customers in a year. ARR is calculated by multiplying the monthly recurring revenue (MRR) by 12, which offers a glimpse of a company’s projected earnings for the upcoming year. This metric is particularly beneficial for Software as a Service (SaaS) businesses that charge clients on a monthly or yearly basis since it provides a more precise picture of future revenue than solely analyzing monthly revenue figures. ARR can assist companies in making informed choices about pricing, customer acquisition, and retention, and is frequently employed as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for subscription-based companies.

What Is Profit

While revenue is an essential metric for measuring a company’s financial performance, profit is just as important. Profit is what’s left after all the expenses are subtracted from the revenue. It’s the money a company makes from selling its goods or services after factoring in all the costs of producing and delivering them. Profit is the bottom line of a company’s financial statement.

Various factors impact a company’s profit, including revenue, operating expenses, cost of goods sold, taxes, and interest payments. As a result, a company’s profit can fluctuate significantly from year to year, depending on changes in the market and the company’s operations.

Different types of profit that businesses can calculate include gross profit, operating profit, and net profit. Each type of profit offers a different perspective on a company’s financial performance.

Gross Profit

When it comes to measuring your company’s financial health, gross profit is a metric you’ll want to keep a close eye on. This important figure is calculated by subtracting the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) from your revenue. COGS includes all the expenses involved in producing and delivering your product or service, such as raw materials, labor, and manufacturing overhead.

So why does gross profit matter? Well, it gives you a clear idea of how much money your company is making from selling your products or services before factoring in other expenses like salaries, rent, and taxes. 

Operating Profit

Your operating profit is a key indicator of your company’s ability to make money from its core operations.  This metric is calculated by subtracting your operating expenses (think rent, salaries, utilities, and other costs related to running your business) from your gross profit.

By monitoring your operating profit, you can determine whether your business is profitable or not and make necessary adjustments. 

Net Profit

Net profit is the amount of money a company has left over after all expenses, including taxes and interest payments, have been deducted from its revenue. 

To calculate net profit, you start with your operating profit and then subtract any interest and tax expenses. This number will give you an accurate representation of how much money your business is making after accounting for all expenses. 

Business owners often use net profit as a benchmark for determining the success of their company since it represents the actual profit that they can take home. This shows how much is available to reinvest in their business or use for other purposes.

Major Differences Between Revenue vs Profit

There are major differences between revenue and profit and how they impact a business.

Income Statement Report

The income statement is a financial statement that reports a company’s revenue, expenses, and profit for a specific period. 

Both revenue and profit appear on an income statement report, but in different sections. Revenue is reported at the top of the statement as the first line item, also known as the “top line.” This is because revenue represents the total amount of money earned by a company during a specific period, and is a critical metric for measuring a company’s financial performance.

Profit, on the other hand, is reported lower down on the income statement after deducting all expenses from revenue. The first profit metric that is calculated is gross profit, which is revenue minus the COGS. This gives a snapshot of the amount of money a company makes from selling its products or services before considering other expenses.

Metric for Business Decisions

Revenue and profit are both used as key performance indicators for businesses in different ways. Revenue measures a company’s sales and growth potential, while profit measures a company’s financial health and ability to generate profits from its operations. Businesses use the revenue to track their growth and market share, while profit assesses the company’s ability to generate cash and make investments.

Degree of Influence by Accounting Rules

Accounting rules and regulations affect both revenue and profit, but profit is more significantly impacted by these rules. Since the rules dictate how expenses are recognized and reported, the expenses have a direct impact on profit. 

Revenue is typically more straightforward and less subject to interpretation under accounting rules. In general, revenue is recognized when a sale is made, while profit depends on the expenses associated with generating that revenue. 

Business Importance

While revenue and profit are critical factors in running a business, profit is the ultimate objective for any company. Without profit, a business cannot continue to operate and expand.

Revenue indicates a company’s sales and growth potential, while profit reflects its financial stability and ability to sustain itself. A business may generate high revenue but experience low profit if its expenses exceed its revenue, which can lead to financial issues in the long run. On the other hand, a business with low revenue but high profit can still be financially stable and viable.

How to Calculate Revenue vs Profit

The formulas for calculating revenue and profit are: 

Revenue = Units Sold x Price per Unit

Profit = Revenue – Total Expenses

Remember, total expenses include the COGS and operating expenses. COGS includes all the expenses associated with producing and delivering a product or service, such as raw materials, labor, and manufacturing overhead. Operating expenses cover all the costs associated with running a business, such as rent, salaries, and utilities.

Revenue vs. Profit Example

A bakery sells cakes for $50 each. In a month, the bakery sells 100 cakes, so their total revenue for the month is:

• $50/cake x 100 cakes = $5,000

The bakery incurs the following expenses for the month:

• Cost of ingredients and supplies: $1,500
• Wages for bakers and salespeople: $2,000
• Rent and utilities: $1,000

To calculate the bakery’s profit, we’ll subtract the total expenses from the total revenue:

• $5,000 (revenue) – ($1,500 + $2,000 + $1,000) (expenses) = $500 (profit)

The bakery’s revenue for the month was $5,000, but their profit was $500 after taking into account their expenses.

The Importance of Understanding Your Finances

Revenue and profit are crucial metrics for measuring a company’s financial performance, but they serve different purposes. Revenue represents the total amount of sales generated by a business, while profit is the amount of money left over after all expenses are subtracted from revenue. 

For new business owners, understanding the difference between revenue and profit is a must. It is equally important to keep track of all business expenses and accurately calculate profit to make informed decisions about the company’s financial health. doola is a great tool for business owners who want to streamline their accounting processes and ensure accurate financial reporting, allowing them to focus on growing their businesses.

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