Calculating Values using Accounting Ratios (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Accounting)
Revision Note
Written by: Donna Simpson
Reviewed by: Dan Finlay
Calculating Values using Accounting Ratios
What information can I find using the margin?
The formula for margin is
This is given as a percentage
You can use this percentage to find missing values
Gross profit | Multiply the revenue by the percentage |
Revenue | Divide the gross profit by the percentage |
Cost of sales | Subtract the gross profit from the revenue |
Worked Example
The following information is given.
Revenue | $50 000 |
Margin | 60% |
Calculate the value of the cost of sales.
Answer
Calculate the gross profit
Multiply the revenue by the margin
60% × $50 000 = $30 000
Calculate the cost of sales
Subtract the gross profit from the revenue
$50 000 - $30 000 = $20 000
What information can I find using the mark-up?
The formula for mark-up is
This is given as a percentage
You can use this percentage to find missing values
Gross profit | Multiply the cost of sales by the percentage |
Cost of sales | Divide the gross profit by the percentage |
Revenue | Add together the gross profit and the cost of sales |
Revenue = Cost of sales + (Mark-up percentage × Cost of sales)
If you know the mark-up and the revenue then you can also find the cost of sales
Find the revenue as a percentage of the cost of sales
Add the mark-up to 100%
Divide the revenue by this percentage to find the cost of sales
Worked Example
The following information is given.
Revenue | $126 000 |
Mark-up | 20% |
Calculate the value of the cost of sales.
Answer
Calculate the revenue as a percentage of the cost of sales
Add the mark-up to 100%
20% + 100% = 120%
Divide the revenue by the percentage
$126 000 ÷ 120% = $105 000
What information can I find using the inventory turnover?
The formula for inventory turnover is
This is given as a number of times
The formula for average inventory is
You can use this rate of inventory turnover to find missing values
Cost of sales | Multiply the average inventory by the rate |
Average inventory | Divide the cost of sales by the rate |
Worked Example
Cogan Lovelace runs a party supplies store. It is not the practice of the business to keep a full set of accounting records. All sales and purchases are made on a cash basis. The following information is given for the year ended 31 December 2023.
Inventory at 1 January 2023 | $60 000 |
Inventory at 31 December 2023 | $75 000 |
Mark-up | 33 ⅓% |
Rate of inventory turnover | 10 times |
Prepare the trading section of the income for the year ended 31 December 2023.
Answer
Calculate the average inventory
Add the inventory values together and then divide by 2
Calculate the cost of sales
Multiply the average inventory by the rate of inventory turnover
$67 500 × 10 = $675 000
Calculate the gross profit
Multiply the cost of sales by the mark-up
$675 000 × 33 ⅓% = $225 000
Calculate the revenue
Add the gross profit to the cost of sales
$225 000 + $675 000 = $900 000
Calculate the purchases
Cost of sales = Opening inventory + Purchases - Closing inventory
Purchases = Cost of sales + Closing inventory - Opening inventory
$675 000 + $75 000 - $60 000 = $690 000
Prepare the trading section of the income statement using the usual format.
Cogan Lovelace Income Statement for the year ended 31 December 2023 | ||
$ | $ | |
Revenue | 900 000 | |
Less: Cost of sales | ||
Opening inventory | 60 000 | |
Purchases | 690 000 | |
750 000 | ||
Less: Closing inventory | 75 000 | 675 000 |
Gross profit | 225 000 |
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