BUSINESS
Retail Profit Waterfall Chart
This waterfall chart follows Harbor Market's May revenue through the expenses that reduce it to net profit. The floating bars make each deduction start from the running balance rather than from zero, so the path to the final amount is clear. It is useful for a profit bridge, budget variance or cash movement explanation. Use signed changes in the source data and make the final total explicit.
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CASE ANALYSIS
Scenario
A neighborhood retailer explains how May revenue became net profit.
Key decisions
- Starting point: Revenue establishes the available gross inflow.
- Largest reduction: Cost of goods is the biggest expense.
- Final result: Net profit remains after operating costs.
When to reuse this
Use when a starting value changes through named additions or deductions.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is a waterfall chart?
It shows how a starting total changes through a sequence of increases and decreases to reach an ending total.
Why use one for profit?
It makes the contribution of each cost or revenue change visible in the path to profit.
Should the ending total be included?
Yes. The final total gives the sequence a clear result to reconcile against.
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bar-retail-profit-bridge