Skip to content
The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryMarketing FinanceGross Margin

Marketing Finance

Gross Margin

Revenue minus cost of goods sold, expressed as a percentage of revenue, showing profit before operating expenses.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

Gross margin is revenue minus cost of goods sold, expressed as a percentage of revenue. It shows how much profit a company keeps from each sale before operating expenses like marketing, sales, and administration. Higher gross margins leave more room to invest in customer acquisition and are central to unit economics.