N
The Global Insight

What does a break even analysis look like?

Author

John Johnson

Updated on March 30, 2026

Fixed costs are costs that remain the same regardless of how many units are sold. Break-even analysis looks at the level of fixed costs relative to the profit earned by each additional unit produced and sold. In general, a company with lower fixed costs will have a lower break-even point of sale.

What is Project breakeven point?

This determines 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 break-even, you lose it.

Do you want a high or low break-even point?

A low breakeven point means that the business will start making a profit sooner, whereas a high breakeven point means more products or services need to be sold to reach that point. So, if your breakeven analysis reveals a high breakeven point, then you might want to consider: If any costs can be reduced.

How do you calculate the break even point?

In other words, the break-even point is the level at which revenue is equal to expenses. To calculate the break-even point, you divide the total fixed costs by the difference between the unit price and variable costs. The formula looks like this:

When to use breakeven point in financial analysis?

Calculating the breakeven point is a key financial analysis tool used by business owners. Once you know the fixed and variable costs for the product your business produces or a good approximation of them, you can use that information to calculate your company’s breakeven point.

How to calculate breakeven point for unit costs?

In other words, the breakeven point is equal to the total fixed costs divided by the difference between the unit price and variable costs. Note that in this formula, fixed costs are stated as a total of all overhead for the firm, whereas Price and Variable Costs are stated as per unit costs—​​the price for each product unit sold.

Why do you need to do break even analysis?

Using the break-even analysis can help you decide if you need to raise or lower your pricing. For instance, if you increase your selling price, the number of units you need to sell to break-even will be reduced. Conversely, if you lower your selling price, you will need to sell more units to break-even.