Cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysis is used to determine how changes in costs and volume affect a company’s operating income and net income. In performing this analysis, there are several assumptions made, including:
- Sales price per unit is constant.
- Variable costs per unit are constant.
- Total fixed costs are constant.
- Everything produced is sold.
- Costs are only affected because activity changes.
- If a company sells more than one product, they are sold in the same mix.
CVP analysis requires that all the company’s costs, including manufacturing, selling, and administrative costs, be identified as variable or fixed.
Contribution margin and contribution margin ratio
Key calculations when using CVP analysis are the contribution margin and the contribution margin ratio. The contribution margin represents the amount of income or profit the company made before deducting its fixed costs. Said another way, it is the amount of sales dollars available to cover (or contribute to) fixed costs. When calculated as a ratio, it is the percent of sales dollars available to cover fixed costs. Once fixed costs are covered, the next dollar of sales results in the company having income.
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