How do you treat cost of sales on an income statement?
Robert Miller
Updated on February 10, 2026
The cost of sales line item appears near the top of the income statement, as a subtraction from net sales. The result of this calculation is the gross margin earned by the reporting entity.
How do you calculate sales on an income statement?
At the end of your accounting period, you can now determine the sales figures for your income statement. Starting with gross sales, subtract the total sales discounts, returns and allowances you gave your customers to determine your net sales. For example, at the end of the month you had gross sales of $200,000.
What is the formula for income statement?
Income Statement Formula is represented as, Gross Profit = Revenues – Cost of Goods Sold. Operating Income = Gross Profit – Operating Expenses. Net income = Operating Income + Non-operating Items.
What is sales on the income statement?
Sales are the proceeds a company generates from selling goods or services to its customers: In accounting terms, sales comprise one component of a company’s revenue figure. On an income statement, sales are typically referred to as gross sales.
Where does cost of goods sold go on an income statement?
Your cost of goods sold includes the direct labor, materials and overhead expenses you’ve incurred to provide your goods or services. Add up all the cost of goods sold line items on your trial balance report and list the total cost of goods sold on the income statement, directly below the revenue line item. 5. Calculate the Gross Margin
How to prepare an income statement for a business?
How to Prepare an Income Statement 1. Sales $1,000,000 2. Cost of Goods Sold $500,000 3. Gross Profit $500,000 4. Selling & Administrative Expense $250,000 5. Depreciation $80,000
How to calculate gross profit on an income statement?
Line 3: Subtract the cost of goods sold from gross sales to get gross profit (Line 3). Line 4: From the $500,000 gross profit, subtract selling and administration (S,G&A) expenses. This $250,000 item represents your office expenses, such as costs not directly related to producing goods for sale.
Where are selling and administrative expenses on an income statement?
Add up all the operating expenses listed on your trial balance report. Enter the total amount into the income statement as the selling and administrative expenses line item. It’s located directly below the gross margin line. 7. Calculate Your Income Subtract the selling and administrative expenses total from the gross margin.