How do you interpret a favorable variance?

A favorable variance indicates a situation where actual performance is better than what was budgeted or anticipated. Specifically, in the context of revenue, it occurs when actual revenue surpasses the budgeted revenue figures. This signifies a positive financial outcome for the organization, reflecting higher sales or better pricing strategies than initially planned.

In contrast, options that suggest unfavorable circumstances, such as costs exceeding their budget or mismatched growth projections, do not align with the concept of a favorable variance. A situation where costs are exactly matched with the budget denotes no variance at all, while an alignment of projected growth with actual growth does not necessarily indicate a variance—it merely reflects consistency between projections and outcomes. Therefore, the only scenario that encapsulates the definition of a favorable variance is when actual revenue exceeds the budgeted revenue.