Performance Measures
Profits for SMEs increased between 2001 and 2002.
Profits per FTE for enterprises with 1-5 FTEs increased 18.0 percent in 2001/2002 over the previous year. Profits per FTE remained steady for enterprises with 6-9 FTEs, and increased by 8.4 percent for enterprises with 10-19 FTEs.
Dates in the format 2001/2002 refer to the financial year July 2001 - June 2002.
Figure 20: Average Real Profit17 per FTE18 by Enterprise Size
→ Full size version of Figure 20 [45KB GIF file]
Small Businesses recorded the largest combined profits.
Due to the high number of small businesses in operation, enterprises with 1-5 FTEs recorded the largest combined profit for 2001/2002. However, the average profit for these enterprises was only $39,000 compared to an average of $14.3m for enterprises employing 500 or more FTEs.
Figure 21: Total Real Profit by Enterprise Size
→ Full size version of Figure 21 [41KB GIF file]
As illustrated in Figure 22, average sales and other income per FTE generally increases with enterprise size.
Small firms showed an increase in annual income per FTE of 3.5 percent between 2000/2001 and 2001/2002. Enterprises with 50-99 FTEs had the largest percentage decrease (-5.8 percent).
Figure 22: Average Real Sales and Other Income per FTE by Enterprise Size
→ Full size version of Figure 22 [50KB GIF file]
Large firms have the highest combined income.
Total sales and other income over 2001/2002 were largest for the group of firms employing 100 or more FTEs, reflecting the size of the individual enterprises. Enterprises in the 100-499 FTE size bracket generated an average total income per firm of $58m over 2001/2002, enterprises in the 500 or more FTE size bracket generated $325m per firm.
The relatively high level of sales recorded by enterprises with 1-5 FTEs reflects the large number of businesses, with each individual enterprise recording an average income level for 2001/2002 of $223,000.
Figure 23: Total Real Sales and Other Income by Enterprise Size
→ Full size version of Figure 23 [41KB GIF file]
The highest average salaries and wages were found in firms employing between 50-99 FTEs…
Since 1998/1999, average salaries and wages paid to employees have been greatest for all firms employing between 50 and 99 FTEs.
Figure 24: Average Real Salaries and Wages per FTE by Enterprise Size
→ Full size version of Figure 24 [51KB GIF file]
…and Large firms account for close to 50% of total salaries and wages.
Total salaries and wages paid to employees are greatest for all firms employing greater than 100 FTEs, accounting for 47.4 percent of all monies paid out.
Figure 25: Total Real Salaries and Wages by Enterprise Size
→ Full size version of Figure 25 [42KB GIF file]
Total value-added performance was high in firms with 1-5 FTEs due to the large total number of firms in this category.
Using total value-added as an alternative performance measure paints a similar picture to total sales and other income. Value-added data are shown in Figures 26 and 27.
Figure 26: Total Value-Added19 by Enterprise Size
→ Full size version of Figure 26 [44KB GIF file]
Figure 27: Average Value-Added per FTE by Enterprise Size
→ Full size version of Figure 27 [48KB GIF file]
Table 5 presents statistics from the 2001/2002 financial year relating to the average performance of firms within each size group.
Table 5: Average Performance Measures by Firm Size, 2001/2002
(Real figures presented in 1997 dollars)| FTE Size Group | Average profit per enterprise | Average income per enterprise | Average total salaries per enterprise | Average total salaries per FTE |
| 0 FTEs | 124,522 | 774,190 | 33,391 | |
| 1 - 5 FTEs | 39,317 | 222,863 | 20,075 | 10,956 |
| 6 - 9 FTEs | 94,011 | 986,421 | 145,782 | 21,092 |
| 10 - 19 FTEs | 136,543 | 1,952,968 | 311,939 | 24,030 |
| 20 - 49 FTEs | 302,852 | 4,846,507 | 945,095 | 32,297 |
| 50 - 99 FTEs | 312,208 | 13,501,819 | 2,904,660 | 43,038 |
| 100 - 499 FTEs | 4,419,181 | 58,402,773 | 7,357,429 | 37,246 |
| 500 + FTEs | 14,338,636 | 324,791,568 | 53,994,815 | 38,391 |
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