What is the key focus of operating margin as a financial metric?

The key focus of operating margin as a financial metric lies in evaluating a company's operational efficiency and profitability from its core business activities, excluding any impact from interest and taxes. Operating margin is calculated by taking operating income, which reflects earnings before interest and taxes, and dividing it by total revenue. This ratio provides insight into how well a company is generating profit from its operations relative to its sales.

By concentrating on operating income, the operating margin allows stakeholders to assess the effectiveness of a company's management in controlling costs and generating profit purely from its operational activities. This focus helps in making comparisons between companies in the same industry or tracking a company's operational efficiency over time without the influence of factors like financing structure or tax variations.