Margin of safety means

Difference between actual sales and total cost
Difference between actual sales and variable cost
Difference between actual sales and fixed cost
Difference between actual sales and Break Even sales

The correct answer is: D. Difference between actual sales and Break Even sales.

Margin of safety is the amount of sales revenue that a company can lose before it starts to incur a loss. It is calculated by subtracting the break-even point from the company’s actual sales revenue.

The break-even point is the point at which a company’s total revenue equals its total costs. At this point, the company is neither making a profit nor a loss.

The margin of safety is important because it measures how much risk a company is taking. A company with a high margin of safety is less risky than a company with a low margin of safety.

Here is a brief explanation of each option:

  • Option A: Difference between actual sales and total cost. This is not the margin of safety. The margin of safety is the difference between actual sales and break-even sales, not total cost.
  • Option B: Difference between actual sales and variable cost. This is not the margin of safety. The margin of safety is the difference between actual sales and break-even sales, not variable cost.
  • Option C: Difference between actual sales and fixed cost. This is not the margin of safety. The margin of safety is the difference between actual sales and break-even sales, not fixed cost.