Wholesale revenues and expenses - Canadian Industry Statistics

Food, beverage and tobacco merchant wholesalers - 413

The information on revenues, expenses and profits can be used as a benchmark against the performance of your business and can help you to identify opportunities to gain efficiencies.

Nationally, cost of goods sold accounted for 86.3% of total expenses for 2022. Total labour remuneration accounted for 4.9% and other operating expenses were 8.8%.

Expense by type
Expense type 2020 2021 2022 % change 2021/2022
Costs of goods sold $125.6B $133.7B $145.4B 8.8
Labour remuneration $7.3B $7.6B $8.2B 7.7
Other operating expenses $11.0B $13.4B $14.9B 11.3
Total Expenses $143.9B $154.8B $168.6B 8.9

Source: Statistics Canada, table 20-10-0077-01, Annual Wholesale Trade Survey.
Estimates for 2022 are preliminary. Preliminary data are subject to revision.

Canada's total operating revenues reached $179.5 billion in 2022, increasing from $165.7 billion in 2021.

At the Canada level, this industry generated $10.9 billion in profits, increasing from $10.9 billion in 2021, or by 0.1%.

The profit margin is one way to measure profitability. It is a ratio of net revenues to total revenues (i.e. net revenues as a percentage of total revenues). In 2022, Canada's pre-tax profit margin in this industry was 6.1%.

Net revenue
Category 2020 2021 2022 % change 2021/2022
Total operating revenue $155.1B $165.7B $179.5B 8.3
Total expenses $143.9B $154.8B $168.6B 8.9
Net revenues $11.1B $10.9B $10.9B 0.1

Source: Statistics Canada, table 20-10-0077-01, Annual Wholesale Trade Survey.
Estimates for 2022 are preliminary. Preliminary data are subject to revision.

  • Notes

    The data in this section comes from Statistics Canada's Annual Wholesale Trade Survey. Statistics Canada has introduced important improvements to the methods and processes used to compile economic statistics for reference year 2013. As a result, it should be noted that their comparability to previously terminated series has been impacted. Users are advised to use caution in making comparisons between the two sets of estimates.

    Operating revenues are revenues that are derived from the regular operations of a business. Revenues from non-operating sources such as interest and dividends are excluded. The primary source of operating revenues for the vast majority of wholesale businesses is sales. Other sources of operating revenues can include commissions, manufacturing sales, labour revenue, revenues from rental and leasing, etc.

    Operating expenses are charges that are produced as a result of the regular operations of a business. Among the operating expenses, total labour remuneration is typically the largest category. Other sources of operating expenses can include rental and leasing expenses, advertising, depreciation, management fees, etc. Expenses from non-operating sources such as interest expenses are excluded.

    (Net revenues) An estimate of the pre-tax profitability can be obtained by subtracting total expenses from total operating revenues. While this calculation will not match balance sheet information exactly, it does provide a reasonable estimate.

    The profit margin is one way to measure profitability. It is a ratio of net revenues to total revenues (i.e. net revenues as a percentage of total revenues). Profit margins can vary widely between industries.

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