Phone: 01242 260066 | Email accountants@mitchells.org

Watch your margins when the good times roll

At Mitchells we can help businesses in the Cheltenham area with a wide range of business issues. Here are some thoughts on keeping an eye on your margins...

It is not unusual during times of prosperity for businesses to let their margins slip, only to pay a heavy price when conditions later worsen.

When times are good, the market is burgeoning, and your business is enjoying high growth it is easy to take your eye off the ball and to be satisfied with the overall increase in profits rather than concentrate on maintaining your relative profitability.

Suppose, for example, that your input costs slowly increase during a period of high growth. Because your overall profits are also increasing you might not bother to pass this onto the customer.

But the overall increase in profit conceals a reduction of your bottom line as a percentage of gross sales, and therefore a decrease in your relative profitability.

Suppose your sales are up from £1.5million two years ago to £2million this year, but your profits have only increased from £150,000 to £180,000. With a 20% percent increase in profits you might be tempted to ignore the erosion of your gross margin - until things take a turn for the worse that is.

It is one thing to pass increased costs onto the customer when times are good, but a very different proposition during a downturn. And if you cannot restore your margins you are going to feel the pinch.

The moral, therefore, is always to keep your eye on your margins and not to let them slip - even during times of prosperity.

If you are in the Cheltenham area and are looking for support and advice from an experienced team of accountants, contact Mitchells.

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Contact details

Office: 01242 260066

Company Registration No: 4161638
Company Registered in England and Wales.
Company details
Mitchell Glanville Limited
Registered Address: 41 Rodney Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1HX

Mitchell Glanville Limited regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales If, during the provision of professional services to you, you need advice on investments, we may have to refer you to someone who is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority, as we are not. However, as we are licensed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, we may be able to provide certain investment services where these are complementary to or arise out of the professional services we are already providing to you.

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