Free Online Tool
Profit & Loss Statement Calculator
Build a simple P&L income statement online — add revenue, COGS, and expense lines to get gross profit, operating income, net income, and margin percentages. Free, no install.
Income Statement Inputs
Revenue
Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)
Operating Expenses (SG&A)
US C-Corp federal rate: 21%. Small biz pass-through: 20–37%.
Profit & Loss Statement
Gross Margin
50.0%
Operating Margin
22.5%
Net Margin
17.8%
COGS %
50.0%
Related Calculators
The COGS Misclassification That Destroys Your Gross Margin
The single most common P&L error in small businesses: classifying operating expenses as COGS, or vice versa. This distorts your gross margin and makes it impossible to benchmark against industry peers.
Example: A SaaS company puts its customer success team's salaries in COGS instead of operating expenses. Their gross margin shows 55% — which looks terrible for software. But if those costs move to Opex, gross margin jumps to 78%, which is excellent. Same numbers, completely different picture.
The rule: COGS = costs that disappear if you stop selling one more unit. Opex = costs that continue regardless of sales volume.
Why Your Operating Margin Matters More Than Net Margin
Net margin includes taxes, interest, and one-time items that obscure core business performance. Operating margin (EBIT margin) strips those out — it shows how efficiently you run the business before financing decisions.
For benchmarking, comparing operating margins across competitors is more useful than comparing net margins. One company might have a $10M loan they're paying off (lower net margin), while a competitor has equity-funded growth (higher net margin) — same underlying business quality, very different net margins.
If your operating margin is strong but net margin is poor, the problem is likely interest expense or a high tax situation — fixable structural issues. If operating margin is poor, the business itself has an efficiency problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a profit and loss statement?
A P&L (income statement) summarizes revenues, costs, and expenses over a period. Structure: Revenue − COGS = Gross Profit → Gross Profit − Operating Expenses = Operating Income (EBIT) → Operating Income − Taxes = Net Income.
What is a good gross profit margin?
Gross margin benchmarks by industry: SaaS 70–85%, retail 25–45%, restaurants 60–70%, manufacturing 20–40%, services 50–70%. Below industry average signals pricing or COGS issues.
What is the difference between gross profit and net profit?
Gross profit = Revenue − COGS. Net profit = Revenue − ALL costs (COGS + Opex + taxes). Gross profit shows product efficiency; net profit shows overall business efficiency.
What should be included in COGS vs. operating expenses?
COGS: direct costs that vary with revenue (materials, direct labor, packaging, shipping). Opex: fixed costs regardless of revenue (rent, salaried staff, marketing, subscriptions, depreciation).
What net margin should a small business target?
Benchmarks: retail 2–5%, restaurants 3–9%, SaaS 10–25%, consulting 15–30%, construction 2–6%. Above 10% is generally healthy. Fast-growing companies often run lower margins to reinvest in growth.
Disclaimer
This calculator is for educational and planning purposes only. It does not constitute accounting, tax, or financial advice. Consult a CPA or financial professional for your actual financial statements.