Break-Even Analysis PDF
Break-Even Analysis PDF
Break-Even Analysis PDF
Break-even analysis seeks to investigate the interrelationships among a firm’s sales revenue or total
turnover, cost, and profits as they relate to alternate levels of output. A profit-maximizing firm’s
initial objective is to cover all costs, and thus to reach the break-even point, and make net profit
thereafter. The break-even point refers to the level of output at which total revenue equals total
cost.
Therefore, the primary objective of using break-even charts as an analytical device is to study the
effects of changes in output and sales on total revenue, total cost, and ultimately on total profit.
Break-even analysis is a very generalized approach for dealing with a wide variety of questions
associated with profit planning and forecasting.
Break-even Chart:
Break-Even charts are being used in recent years by the managerial economists, company executives
and government agencies in order to find out the break-even point. In the break-even charts, the
concepts like total fixed cost, total variable cost, and the total cost and total revenue are shown
separately. The break even chart shows the extent of profit or loss to the firm at different levels of
activity. The following Figure illustrates the typical break-even chart.
In this diagram output is shown on the horizontal axis and costs and revenue on vertical axis. Total
revenue (TR) curve is shown as linear, as it is assumed that the price is constant, irrespective of the
output. This assumption is appropriate only if the firm is operating under perfectly competitive
conditions. Linearity of the total cost (TC) curve results from the assumption of constant variable
cost.
As seen above, when total revenue and total cost curves are linear, both TR and TC, and hence the
total profit are monotonically increasing functions of output. Under such a situation, the profit
maximizing or sales maximizing output is thus indeterminate. Linearity in the case of the total cost
curve implies that the firm can expand output without changing its variable cost per unit very much.
For a relatively narrow output range, this is no doubt a reasonable assumption. Moreover, we make
this linearity assumption to make our analysis simple, and thus to provide management with general
profit guidelines, not to suggest exact answers to certain problems.
In a situation of non-linear revenue and cost curves, neither TR nor the profit function is a
monotonically increasing function and thus the price-output determination under varying objectives
is of great significance. Following Figure presents the most common graphical representation of
break-even analysis. The horizontal axis measures the rate of output, and revenues and costs,
measured in rupees, are shown on the vertical axis. Figure combines an inverted U-shaped total
revenue (TR) curve and the familiar S-shaped short run total cost curve (TC).
The curvilinear shape of the total revenue curve follows from the assumption that the firm faces a
downward-sloping demand curve and must reduce its price to be able to sell more. The law of
diminishing returns accounts for the curvilinear shape of the total cost curve.
Where,
P = price
Example: If the price = Rs. 4 per unit, TFC = 150, AVC = Rs. 3 per unit then calculate BEP.
At the level of output 150 units, the total revenue is equal to the total cost. At this level, the
firm is working at a point where there is no profit or loss.
From the numerical example at the level of 250 units of output and sales, the firm is
earning profit, the safety margin can be found out by applying the formula
This means that the firm which is now selling 250 units of the product can afford to
decline sales upto 40 per cent. The margin of safety may be negative as well, if the firm
is incurring any loss. In that case, the percentage tells the extent of sales that should
be increased in order to reach the point where there will be no loss.
When a firm has some target profit, this analysis will help in finding out the extent of
increase in sales by using the following formula:
Target Sales Volume = Fixed Cost + Target Profit / Contribution Margin per unit
By way of illustration, we can take Table 1 given above. Suppose the firm fixes the
profit as Rs. 100, then the volume of output and sales should be 250 units. Only at this
level, it gets a profit of Rs. 100. By using the formula, the same result will be obtained.