The computation that reveals the proportion of revenue consumed by the direct expenses of producing goods or services is determined by dividing the cost of goods sold by total sales revenue. The result is then expressed as a percentage. For example, if a business records a cost of goods sold of $60,000 and total sales revenue of $100,000, this ratio is 60%.
This metric provides essential insight into a company’s profitability and operational efficiency. A lower figure generally indicates that a company is generating more profit from each dollar of sales, suggesting effective cost management. Monitoring fluctuations in this ratio over time helps identify potential issues in supply chain management, production processes, or pricing strategies. Historically, businesses have utilized similar ratios to assess financial health and benchmark performance against industry competitors.