Gross profit, operating profit, and net profit; the three most important profitability ratios. Business owners and managers may find varied usefulness of the other ratios calculated from the income statement depending on the specific line item and the type of business. Find the financials for a public company. How do the ratios for this company compare with others in the same industry? Which ratios do you think are most important? What line items on the income statement are most significant to you or cause you most concern?