Calculation note
Gross margin turns revenue and direct cost into a comparable percentage. It is useful only when the revenue basis and cost-of-goods-sold definition are clear, because changing the denominator or cost bucket changes the story.
Gross margin starts with gross profit
Gross profit is revenue minus cost of goods sold. Gross margin then expresses that profit as a share of revenue, which helps compare products, quotes or periods of different sizes.
COGS definition matters
A clean margin record states what went into COGS: product cost, materials, direct labour, freight, packaging or subcontractor cost as relevant. Inconsistent cost buckets make margin comparisons misleading.
Margin and markup use different denominators
A 40% gross margin means gross profit is 40% of revenue. The equivalent markup on cost is higher because markup divides by cost, not by selling price.