If a company's net margin ratio is 10%, what does it signify?

A net margin ratio of 10% indicates that for every $1 of revenue generated by the company, $0.10 translates into net income. This metric helps measure the profitability of a company by showing the percentage of revenue that remains after all expenses have been subtracted. A net margin of 10% suggests that the company effectively manages its costs relative to its income, allowing it to retain a portion of its revenue as profit.

This ratio is crucial for investors and analysts as it provides insight into the overall financial health of the business and its efficiency in converting sales into actual profit. In this context, the other options do not accurately capture what a 10% net margin means. The second choice incorrectly implies that the company is unprofitable, which contradicts the presence of a positive net margin. The third choice misinterprets the meaning of net margin by relating it to operating profit instead of net profit. Lastly, the fourth choice confuses net margin with return on investment or equity growth, which are distinct financial metrics. Hence, the correct interpretation is that for every unit of revenue earned, a fraction yields net income, specifically $0.10 in this case.