A profit and loss statement example shows real line items for one business over one period: income at the top, then the cost of goods sold and gross profit, then expenses, then net profit. The six examples below use made-up figures for different businesses, and every total adds up so you can check the math.
For what each line means and the formulas behind them, read our guide to the profit and loss statement.
Each example is a sample business with figures we made up, tagged "Sample figures". Use this one opens the example in the fillable profit and loss statement PDF form, so you can change the numbers and download your own copy. Copy as text puts it on your clipboard with tabs between columns, ready to paste into a spreadsheet.
Example 1: a freelance web developer, one year
Sample business. Made-up figures for a self-employed developer who bills clients directly.
Profit and Loss StatementSample figures
Sample business
January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025
Amounts in US dollars.
The Schedule C column is a common mapping. Check it with your tax preparer.
Profit and Loss Statement: a freelance web developer, one year. Sample figures.
Line
Schedule C line
Amount
Income
Sales and services Schedule C line 1
Line 1
96,400.00
Other income Schedule C line 6
Line 6
85.00
Total income
96,485.00
Expenses
Advertising Schedule C line 8
Line 8
640.00
Car and truck Schedule C line 9
Line 9
1,120.00
Commissions and fees Schedule C line 10
Line 10
2,890.00
Contract labor Schedule C line 11
Line 11
7,500.00
Insurance Schedule C line 15
Line 15
1,180.00
Legal and professional Schedule C line 17
Line 17
1,350.00
Office and software Schedule C line 18
Line 18
4,260.00
Supplies Schedule C line 22
Line 22
530.00
Travel Schedule C line 24a
Line 24a
1,940.00
Meals Schedule C line 24b
Line 24b
380.00
Utilities and phone Schedule C line 25
Line 25
1,020.00
Bank and processing fees Schedule C line 27b
Line 27b
410.00
Total expenses
23,220.00
Net profit Schedule C line 31
Line 31
73,265.00
Not accounting, tax or legal advice. Check every figure before you sign or submit it. Some lenders require a statement prepared by an accountant.
Owner draws, transfers to savings and estimated tax payments were left out, because they are not business expenses.
What this example shows
A service business with no cost of goods sold, so income goes straight to expenses.
Contract labor and software are the largest costs, and the Schedule C column shows the line each one usually maps to.
A net margin of 75.9%: 73,265.00 of profit on 96,485.00 of income.
Use this oneCopying is blocked here. Select the text and copy it by hand.
Example 5: a rental duplex, one year
Sample business. Made-up figures for a two-unit rental with a property manager.
Profit and Loss StatementSample figures
Sample business
January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025
Amounts in US dollars.
Profit and Loss Statement: a rental duplex, one year. Sample figures.
Line
Amount
Income
Rent received
31,200.00
Other income
240.00
Total income
31,440.00
Expenses
Mortgage interest
9,860.00
Taxes
4,120.00
Insurance
1,680.00
Repairs
2,350.00
Cleaning and maintenance
780.00
Utilities
1,440.00
Management fees
2,496.00
Advertising
150.00
Legal and other professional fees
450.00
Total expenses
23,326.00
Net profit
8,114.00
The mortgage principal is not an expense. A tax return may also include depreciation, which is not shown here. Ask your tax preparer.
What this example shows
Rent received is the income, and there is no cost of goods sold.
Mortgage interest is an expense; the principal part of each payment is not.
Management fees are the third largest cost, after mortgage interest and taxes.
Use this oneCopying is blocked here. Select the text and copy it by hand.
Example 6: a painting contractor's first quarter, a loss
Sample business. Made-up figures for a painting business that bought its tools in its first three months.
Profit and Loss StatementSample figures
Sample business
January 1, 2026 to March 31, 2026
Amounts in US dollars.
Profit and Loss Statement: a painting contractor's first quarter, a loss. Sample figures.
Line
Amount
Income
Job income
18,600.00
Materials (cost of goods sold)
7,940.00
Gross profit
10,660.00
Expenses
Subcontractors
4,800.00
Tools and equipment
2,650.00
Equipment rental
860.00
Vehicle and fuel
1,730.00
Insurance
1,950.00
Permits and licenses
420.00
Advertising and leads
1,380.00
Software and office
290.00
Phone and internet
270.00
Total expenses
14,350.00
Net loss
(3,690.00)
What this example shows
Materials count as cost of goods sold, so the gross margin is 57.3%.
Tools and equipment bought in the first quarter push expenses above gross profit.
The net loss shows in parentheses, (3,690.00), in red on the statement.
Use this oneCopying is blocked here. Select the text and copy it by hand.
How to read these examples
Two percentages make statements of different sizes comparable. Gross margin is gross profit divided by total income, and net margin is net profit divided by total income. The online store in Example 3 keeps 49.8 cents of each dollar of income after product costs, and 21.4 cents after every expense.
Compare a margin with your own past periods rather than with other businesses. A cafe and a web developer will never share a margin, and even two cafes differ in rent, menu and staffing. What matters is the direction: a falling gross margin means costs are rising faster than prices, and a falling net margin with a steady gross margin points at the running costs.
To make your own statement, start from the profit and loss statement template, or let the bank statement tool there sort your bank files for you.
Questions
What should a profit and loss statement example include?
A complete example names the business and the period, then lists income, cost of goods sold where products are sold, and gross profit. Expenses follow by category, and the statement ends with net profit or loss. Every subtotal should add up from the lines above it, so you can check the math yourself, as you can with each example on this page.
How do I work out gross margin and net margin?
Divide gross profit by total income for gross margin, and divide net profit by total income for net margin, then show each as a percent. In Example 3, gross profit of 26,460.00 divided by income of 53,180.00 gives a gross margin of 49.8%. Net profit of 11,360.00 on the same income gives a net margin of 21.4%.
What is a good profit margin for a small business?
There is no single good number. Margins vary widely by industry, by business model and by how long the business has been running, so a figure that is healthy for a consultant would be unusual for a cafe. The most useful comparison is your own past periods: a margin that holds or rises means your costs are under control.
Why do some examples have no cost of goods sold?
Service businesses sell time and skill rather than products, so they have no inventory to account for. Their statements go straight from income to operating expenses. The freelancer, the driver and the rental examples on this page work that way, while the online store, the cafe and the painting contractor carry a cost of goods sold section.
Can I use these example numbers for my own business?
No. Every figure on this page is made up for a sample business, so it shows the layout and the arithmetic, not what any real business earns. To make your own statement, start from your bank and card records: fill in a template by hand, or build the statement from your bank files with the free tool.
How is a profit and loss statement example different from a template?
A template has empty lines for you to fill in, while an example shows one made-up business with its figures already filled in. Reading an example first lets you check the layout and the math before you add your own numbers. Each example on this page opens in the fill-online form, so you can start from it and change every figure.