Profit margin is defined as which of the following?

• A. Net income divided by sales
• B. Sales divided by net income
• C. Gross profit divided by sales
• D. Operating income divided by sales

Answer: (A)

Profit margin shows how much of each dollar of sales becomes net income after all costs. It is calculated by dividing net income (the bottom line) by sales (revenue), giving a percentage that reflects overall profitability per sale. Net income accounts for COGS, operating expenses, interest, taxes, and other costs, so this margin reveals how efficiently the entire business converts revenue into profit. This differs from gross margin, which uses gross profit (sales minus COGS) and only captures production costs, and from operating margin, which uses operating income (earnings before interest and taxes) and excludes financing and tax effects. Therefore, net income divided by sales is the appropriate definition of profit margin.