Gross Income vs Net Income

Publication Date :

05 Jun, 2018

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Table Of Contents

Difference Between Gross Income and Net Income

The key difference between gross income and net income is that gross income refers to the income which is left over to the company after deducting the cost of the goods sold from the revenue earned by the company, whereas, Net income refers to the amount left as the earning in the organization after deducting all the expenses in the organization including other expenses such as dividends, etc. from the gross income.

If you’re a new investor or just trying financial accounting, you must know the difference between gross and net income.

In simple terms, we can calculate gross income by deducting the cost of goods sold from net sales. At the same time, we can compute net income by deducting all operational, general, and administrative expenses (plus adding different sources of income).

Difference Between Gross Income and Net Income

To understand the difference between them, we need to look at a company's income statement.

In the income statement, the first item is gross sales. Gross sales are the product of price per unit of product sold and the quantity of the product sold. From gross sales, we deduct the sales discount or the sales returns (if any). And then we get net sales.
From net sales, we deduct the cost of goods sold. And here, we get the figure of gross income or gross profit. Gross profit is an important measure; because gross profit tells us a figure closer to the profit from operations.
We get the operating income if we deduct operating expenses from the gross income. We also call it EBIT (Earnings before interest & taxes). We deduct the interest expenses and taxes from EBIT to arrive at net income. Net income is a culmination of profits from operations and profits from other sources (for a few businesses, there are other sources of income besides the income from operations).

Gross vs. Net Income Video Explanation

Gross Income vs Net Income Infographics

Key Differences

The main difference is in the scope. Gross income only considers sales and the cost of goods sold. On the other hand, net income deals with operational & non-operational expenses & income.
To determine the gross profit, we need to deduct the cost of goods sold from the sales (net sales). To determine the net profit, we need to deduct operational expenses, interest expenses, and taxes from the gross income and additional income from other sources (if any).
Gross income helps us find out the net income. Net income, however, is completely dependent on gross income.
To understand both incomes, one must know the income statement thoroughly. Gross income is the fourth item on the income statement (after gross sales, sales return/discount, and cost of goods sold). Net income is the last item on the income statement. In a few cases, the company calculates the earnings per share (EPS) after net income.

Gross vs. Net Income Comparative Table

Basis for comparison	Gross Income	Net Income
Meaning	This is the immediate income a company makes by deducting the cost of goods sold from the net sales.	This is the culmination of both incomes from operations & income from other sources.
Computation	It can be calculated by deducting the cost of goods sold from the net sales (net sales = gross sales – sales return/discount)	It can be calculated by deducting the operational expenses, interest expenses, taxes from gross income, and adding any income from other sources to the same.
Why is it important?	Gross Income is important because it helps us understand how much a company earns after removing the cost of goods sold from the sales. It doesn’t deduct any other expenses or adds any other income.	It is important because it gives us a big picture of what exactly a firm can use for reinvestment or payment of dividend to the shareholders.
Dependency	Gross Income isn’t dependent on the net income.	Net Income is dependent on gross income. Until you know the gross income, you can’t compute the net income of a company.
Amount	It is always more than the net income.	It is always less than gross income.
Expenses deducted	Cost of goods sold	Operational cost, non-operational cost;

Conclusion

While we find out the difference between them, what’s most important is understanding the big picture of a company.

They are parts of the whole income statement. But if you want to invest in a company or want to comprehend the financial health of a company, you need to learn to see every minute detail and consider every expense that is being incurred.
Using gross income, we can calculate a gross income/gross profit margin ratio, dividing gross income by the total sales.
On the other hand, using net income, we can calculate a ratio called net income/net profit margin, dividing net income by the total sales.