Variable costs tend to represent expenses such as materials, shipping, and marketing, Companies can reduce these costs by identifying alternatives, such as using cheaper materials or alternative shipping providers. We’ll next calculate the contribution margin and CM ratio in each of the projected periods in the final step. The 60% ratio means that the contribution margin for each dollar of revenue generated is $0.60. Given how the CM examines the product-level breakdown of each dollar that comes in and how it contributes to generating profit, the break-even point (BEP) cannot be calculated without determining the CM. The analysis of the contribution margin facilitates a more in-depth, granular understanding of a company’s unit economics (and cost structure). The companies that operate near peak operating efficiency are far more likely to obtain an economic moat, contributing toward the long-term generation of sustainable profits.

Here, we are calculating the CM on a per-unit basis, but the same values would be obtained if we had used the total figures instead. All else being equal, the greater the contribution margin (CM) of each product, the more profitable the company is going to be, with more cash available to meet other expenses. Furthermore, the insights derived post-analysis can determine the optimal pricing per product based on the implied incremental impact that each potential adjustment could have on its growth profile and profitability. The best contribution margin is 100%, so the closer the contribution margin is to 100%, the better. The higher the number, the better a company is at covering its overhead costs with money on hand.

Contribution Margin Ratio Calculation Example

While contribution margins only count the variable costs, the gross profit margin includes all of the costs that a company incurs in order to make sales. The contribution margin is computed as the selling price per unit, minus the variable cost per unit. Also known as dollar contribution per unit, the measure indicates how a particular product contributes to the overall profit of the company. A key characteristic of the contribution margin is that it remains fixed on a per unit basis irrespective of the number of units manufactured or sold. On the other hand, the net profit per unit may increase/decrease non-linearly with the number of units sold as it includes the fixed costs.

The overarching objective of calculating the contribution margin is to figure out how to improve operating efficiency by lowering each product’s variable costs, which collectively contributes to higher profitability. To calculate the contribution margin, we must deduct the variable cost per unit from the price per unit. It represents the incremental money generated for each product/unit sold after deducting the variable portion of the firm’s costs. For this section of the exercise, the key takeaway is that the CM requires matching the revenue from the sale of a specific product line, along with coinciding variable costs for that particular product.

Contribution Margin Formula

If the contribution margin for an ink pen is higher than that of a ball pen, the former will be given production preference owing to its higher profitability potential. Such decision-making is common to companies that manufacture a diversified portfolio of products, and management must allocate available resources in the most efficient manner to products with the highest profit potential. Profit margin is calculated using all expenses that directly go into producing the product. Low values of contribution margins can be observed in the labor-intensive industry sectors like manufacturing as the variable costs are higher, while high values of contribution margins are prevalent in the capital-intensive sectors. The contribution margin is the foundation for break-even analysis used in the overall cost and sales price planning for products.

The profitability of our company likely benefited from the increased contribution margin per product, as the contribution margin per dollar increased from $0.60 to $0.68. To perform a more detailed analysis on either a quarterly or year-over-year (YoY) basis – or comparisons to comparable companies operating in the same industry – the CM contribution margin equation metric can be divided by revenue to get the CM ratio. The contribution margin ratio is calculated as (Revenue – Variable Costs) / Revenue. Investors examine contribution margins to determine if a company is using its revenue effectively. A high contribution margin indicates that a company tends to bring in more money than it spends.