--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Percentage margins don't matter. What…" description: "\"Percentage margins don't matter. What matters always is dollar margins: the actual dollar amount. Companies are valued not on their percentage margins,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/jeff-bezos-1193_amount_percentage-margins-don-t-matter-what-mat_512964.jpg" --- # Percentage margins don't matter. What matters always is… ![“Percentage margins don't matter. What matters always is dollar margins: the actual dollar amount. Companies are valued not on their percentage margins, but on how many dollars they actually make, and a multiple of that.” quote by Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/jeff-bezos-1193_amount_percentage-margins-don-t-matter-what-mat_512964.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/jeff-bezos-1193_amount_percentage-margins-don-t-matter-what-mat_512964.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/jeff-bezos-1193_amount_percentage-margins-don-t-matter-what-mat_512964.jpg) > “Percentage margins don't matter. What matters always is dollar margins: the actual dollar amount. Companies are valued not on their percentage margins, but on how many dollars they actually make, and a multiple of that.” [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dollar profit matters more than percentage margins because absolute earnings determine company value. **In simple terms:** Focus on actual dollars earned. Key Takeaway Prioritize real profit over relative ratios. Themes business finance valuation Mood pragmatic strategic Type analytical business‑oriented When to use this quote - financial planning - investment decisions - corporate strategy Key Concepts profitability valuation metrics shareholder value Questions to Reflect On - How can both dollar and percentage margins be balanced? - What risks arise from ignoring relative profitability? A Different Perspective Percentage margins still matter for efficiency and comparison. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) ## Related quotes > [Percentage margins are not one of the things we are seeking to optimize. 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The reason we have done well is because,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-think-technology-advanced-faster-than-anticipated-in-that-whirlwind/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [The death knell for any enterprise is to glorify the past -- no matter how good it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/the-death-knell-for-any-enterprise-is-to-glorify-the-past-no-matter/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [People who are right most of the time are people who change their minds often](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/people-who-are-right-most-of-the-time-are-people-who-change-their/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [The human brain is an incredible pattern-matching machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/the-human-brain-is-an-incredible-pattern-matching-machine/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Work hard, have fun and make history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/work-hard-have-fun-and-make-history/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you can't tolerate critics, don't do anything new or interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-can-t-tolerate-critics-don-t-do-anything-new-or-interesting/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you can't feed a team with two pizzas, it's too large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-can-t-feed-a-team-with-two-pizzas-it-s-too-large/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [We also have no incentive compensation of any kind. 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What matters is what that amount represents in terms of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-amount-you-give-isn-t-important-what-matters-is-what-that-amount/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/there-s-a-place-in-botswana-where-there-are-100-000-elephants-living/) [Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [I am not a great believer in dialectical struggle. I am much more of a fusion person. 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Harper > [You have a little bit of talent, a certain amount of good fortune and a lot of hard work in pursuit of whatever truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/you-have-a-little-bit-of-talent-a-certain-amount-of-good-fortune-and/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [I have a tremendous amount of respect for military families. 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