SG&A Benchmarks

SG&A Expense as a Percentage of Sales by Industry Sector

Industry Sector

10% ile

Median

90% ile

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing 5.54 37.30 366.10
Mining/Extraction 1.73 7.05 101.77
Construction 5.32 9.20 22.35
Manufacturing 7.45 31.53 249.10
Transportation, Communications, Utilities 2.41 15.09 53.65
Wholesale Trade 4.03 19.77 145.01
Retail Trade 8.22 28.06 75.72
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate 5.83 31.12 69.14
Services 12.07 42.81 139.29
All sectors combined 5.64 29.90 142.11

The series of PDF reports SG&A Benchmarks is the source for the above data. They serve as a convenient source of information for professional managers seeking benchmark information on the Selling, General & Administrative spending practices of major public corporations within a specific industry sector.

SG&A expenses are composed of all the commercial expenses of operation incurred in the regular course of business pertaining to the securing of operating income. Any portion of these expenses that the company itself allocates to cost of goods sold will not be included in SG&A. SG&A expense includes advertising expense, commissions, engineering expense, marketing expense, selling expense including salaries of the salesforce, employee benefit expenses, software expense, administrative office expense and other expenses related to sales but not included in cost of goods sold. Frequently SG&A to Sales ratios are used to judge overhead or cost of sales.

Since different industries vary significantly in their practices of classification of expenses considered to be reported within SG&A expense, SG&A Benchmarks is produced for individual industry sectors. SG&A spending practices may also vary with size and country so information on annual sales and headquarters city is provided.

The industry sector summary displays median SG&A to Sales ratio by industry to illustrate the range of values reported by firms within the industry. The tables for each individual industry present SG&A as a percentage of sales and the annual percentage growth rate in SG&A spending as well as in sales for each company within the industry. Comparing the growth rate of SG&A expenses and sales gives a snapshot of where the profitability of the firm may be heading. The firms are presented in three groups as defined by sales of less than $100 million, sales between $100 million and $1 billion, and sales of more than $1 billion.

Two sets of industry tabulations are presented. Alphabetical order by company name aids in locating a firm. Order by SG&A to Sales ratio showcases the ‘leaner and meaner’ firms in each industry.

This report will benefit anyone seeking competitive benchmark intelligence including: corporate staff, financial analysts, investment professionals, lenders, M&A advisors, appraisers and industry consultants.

Click on the sector of interest below for more details, including a sample page, table of contents, and ordering information.

Showing all 6 results

SG&A Benchmarks – Finance, Insurance, Real Estate

$149.00

SG&A Benchmarks provides SG&A spending information for 1113 publicly traded companies within seven industries in the finance, insurance and real estate sector. Published August 2023.

SG&A Benchmarks – Manufacturing

$149.00

SG&A Benchmarks provides SG&A spending information for 2053 publicly traded companies within twenty industries in the manufacturing sector. Published July 2023.

SG&A Benchmarks – Mining / Extraction

$149.00

SG&A Benchmarks provides SG&A spending information for 266 publicly traded companies within four industries in the mining/extraction sector. Published November 2023.

SG&A Benchmarks – Retail and Wholesale Trade

$149.00

SG&A Benchmarks provides SG&A spending information for 293 publicly traded companies within eight industries in the retail trade sector as well as information for 130 publicly traded companies within two industries in the wholesale trade sector. Published July 2023.

SG&A Benchmarks – Services

$149.00

SG&A Benchmarks provides SG&A spending information for 1210 publicly traded companies within eleven industries in the services sector. Published July 2023.

SG&A Benchmarks – Transportation, Communications, Utilities

$149.00

SG&A Benchmarks provides SG&A spending information for 375 publicly traded companies within eight industries in the transportation, communications, and utilities sector. Published August 2023.