
How many items do you need to sell before you start making a profit?
© iStockphoto/AndrewJohnson
In business, your ultimate objective is to make money. So, when you launch a new product or purchase a new piece of equipment, how do you know whether a potential investment will at least cover the costs associated with it?
You can simply make a wish and hope it all works out – or you can evaluate the project more formally to see if it makes financial sense. One way of doing this is to complete a Break-even Analysis to determine the Break-even Point, the level of output at which the revenues generated by a project equal costs. At the Break-even Point, you don't make or lose money. Once you pass Break-even, you make money; below it, you lose it.
Using a Break-even Analysis, you can answer questions like these:
Mind Tools members, click here.
Join now for just $1, first month
|
![]() |
Join the Mind Tools Club before midnight, May 9th, and get our Future-Proof Your Career workbook (worth US$19.99) for FREE.
Learn on the move with the free Mind Tools iPhone, iPad and Android Apps. Short bursts of business training ideal for busy people.