{ "schema_version": "core-reviewed-term-ai-handoff-v1", "version": "core-reviewed-term-ai-handoff-v1", "contract_status": "preview", "distribution": "per_term_read_only_ai_handoff", "no_write_operations": true, "canonical": { "url": "https://core.yogoq.com/en-US/core/ltv-cac", "slug": "ltv-cac", "locale": "en-US" }, "summary": { "schema_version": "core-reviewed-term-summary-v1", "term_id": "3ae425a1-0346-5d34-89c9-6ef0ffd36413", "canonical_slug": "ltv-cac", "canonical_url": "https://core.yogoq.com/en-US/core/ltv-cac", "locale": "en-US", "display_name": "LTV/CAC Ratio", "english_name": null, "abbreviation": null, "short_definition": "The LTV/CAC ratio compares lifetime value to acquisition cost and shows whether each new customer creates economic value.", "quality": "reviewed", "publication_status": "published_reviewed", "version": "core-reviewed-term-summary-v1", "last_reviewed_at": "2026-05-14T00:00:00.000Z", "sources_count": 3, "limitations_key": "core-trust-policy-v1-2026-06-22" }, "content": { "definition": { "key": "definition", "title": "一言でいうと", "text": "The LTV/CAC ratio compares lifetime value to acquisition cost and shows whether each new customer creates economic value.", "items": [] }, "formula": { "key": "formula", "title": "計算の考え方", "text": "LTV/CAC Ratio should be calculated with a stable numerator, denominator, and time window. Formula | LTV/CAC = Customer Lifetime Value / Customer Acquisition Cost | Use it to test whether acquisition spending can pay back through customer value. Time window | Use the same period for every comparison | Prevents artificial movement Segment | Calculate by plan, market, cohort, or owner when useful | Reveals where the change came from", "items": [ "Formula | LTV/CAC = Customer Lifetime Value / Customer Acquisition Cost | Use it to test whether acquisition spending can pay back through customer value.", "Time window | Use the same period for every comparison | Prevents artificial movement", "Segment | Calculate by plan, market, cohort, or owner when useful | Reveals where the change came from" ] }, "boundary": { "key": "boundary", "title": "含めるもの / 含めないもの", "text": "The boundary of LTV/CAC Ratio must be written before it is used as a KPI. Include | Recurring and comparable inputs that match the definition | Keeps trend analysis reliable Exclude | One-off, unmatched, or non-comparable items | Avoids inflated or misleading movement Document | Data source, owner, refresh timing, and exception rules | Makes reviews reproducible", "items": [ "Include | Recurring and comparable inputs that match the definition | Keeps trend analysis reliable", "Exclude | One-off, unmatched, or non-comparable items | Avoids inflated or misleading movement", "Document | Data source, owner, refresh timing, and exception rules | Makes reviews reproducible" ] }, "usage": [ { "key": "meaning", "title": "意味", "text": "LTV/CAC is calculated by dividing customer lifetime value by customer acquisition cost. A ratio above 1 indicates value creation, while very low ratios mean growth destroys value; extremely high ratios can also suggest under-investment in growth. The ratio is most useful when paired with payback period and retention quality.", "items": [] }, { "key": "usage", "title": "役立つ場面", "text": "Determines whether to scale acquisition or pause to fix retention and margin. Guides channel allocation by comparing LTV/CAC across segments. Sets growth expectations and informs fundraising or cash planning.", "items": [ "Determines whether to scale acquisition or pause to fix retention and margin.", "Guides channel allocation by comparing LTV/CAC across segments.", "Sets growth expectations and informs fundraising or cash planning." ] }, { "key": "usage", "title": "使い方のポイント", "text": null, "items": [ "Use margin-adjusted LTV to avoid overstating value.", "Compare the ratio by cohort and channel, not only in aggregate.", "A good ratio without fast payback can still strain cash.", "Improving retention or pricing often lifts the ratio more than cutting spend.", "Targets should match business model and growth stage rather than a universal number." ] }, { "key": "drivers", "title": "何が数字を動かすか", "text": "LTV/CAC Ratio changes because the underlying operating drivers change. Volume | More or fewer units, users, customers, or transactions | Explains scale effects Mix | Change in segment, plan, product, or channel composition | Explains quality of growth or decline Efficiency | Better conversion, retention, cost control, or process discipline | Explains operating improvement", "items": [ "Volume | More or fewer units, users, customers, or transactions | Explains scale effects", "Mix | Change in segment, plan, product, or channel composition | Explains quality of growth or decline", "Efficiency | Better conversion, retention, cost control, or process discipline | Explains operating improvement" ] } ], "misunderstandings": [ { "key": "misunderstandings", "title": "判断するときの注意点", "text": "Do not read LTV/CAC Ratio alone. Compare with companion metrics before changing budget or targets. Check whether the movement came from real performance or definition drift. Avoid optimizing the metric in a way that harms customer quality or long-term value.", "items": [ "Compare with companion metrics before changing budget or targets.", "Check whether the movement came from real performance or definition drift.", "Avoid optimizing the metric in a way that harms customer quality or long-term value." ] }, { "key": "misunderstandings", "title": "よくある誤解 / 落とし穴", "text": null, "items": [ "Any ratio above 3 is always good; payback speed and risk still matter.", "The ratio is static; it changes with churn, pricing, and channel mix.", "LTV/CAC replaces other metrics; it should complement unit economics and cash flow." ] } ], "examples": [ { "key": "examples", "title": "最小例", "text": "A B2B SaaS has LTV of $900 and CAC of $300, giving a ratio of 3. But the payback period is 16 months, causing cash strain. The company introduces annual contracts and improves onboarding, reducing payback to 10 months while keeping LTV stable. With the faster payback, the team can safely increase acquisition spend.", "items": [] } ], "comparisons": [ { "key": "comparisons", "title": "似ている言葉との違い", "text": "Compare LTV/CAC Ratio with adjacent concepts before deciding. LTV/CAC Ratio | Current concept | Use when the team needs the primary decision lens Adjacent metric or framework | Supporting lens | Use when the team needs evidence or process detail General vocabulary | Broad explanation | Use only for orientation, not final decision-making", "items": [ "LTV/CAC Ratio | Current concept | Use when the team needs the primary decision lens", "Adjacent metric or framework | Supporting lens | Use when the team needs evidence or process detail", "General vocabulary | Broad explanation | Use only for orientation, not final decision-making" ] }, { "key": "related_metrics", "title": "一緒に見る指標", "text": "Read LTV/CAC Ratio together with metrics that explain quality, scale, and risk. Growth metric | Shows direction | Explains whether the trend is improving Efficiency metric | Shows cost or effort | Explains whether the result is economical Risk metric | Shows volatility or concentration | Explains whether the result is durable", "items": [ "Growth metric | Shows direction | Explains whether the trend is improving", "Efficiency metric | Shows cost or effort | Explains whether the result is economical", "Risk metric | Shows volatility or concentration | Explains whether the result is durable" ] } ], "faq": [ { "question": "When should I use LTV/CAC Ratio?", "answer": "Use it when the team needs to decide scope, priority, owner, or trade-off, not when it only needs a short definition." }, { "question": "What makes LTV/CAC Ratio useful in practice?", "answer": "It becomes useful when it is tied to evidence, a decision owner, and a concrete next operating choice." }, { "question": "What should I avoid?", "answer": "Avoid using the term as a label without clarifying assumptions, boundaries, and how success will be judged." } ] }, "sources": { "source_refs": [ "concept:ltv-cac:en-US", "concept:ltv-cac:ja-JP", "core-term-page-500:concept:ltv-cac" ], "visible_sources": [ { "label": "Principles of Marketing (OpenStax)", "url": "https://openstax.org/details/books/principles-marketing", "kind": null }, { "label": "Principles of Marketing (Open Textbook Library)", "url": "https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/principles-of-marketing", "kind": "tier_s" }, { "label": "Principles of Management (OpenStax)", "url": "https://openstax.org/details/books/principles-management", "kind": "tier_s" } ] }, "related_terms": [ { "topic_id": "23e4b4ee-c00e-53ef-8456-85c230b1b24c", "canonical_slug": "ma-marketing-automation", "canonical_url": "https://core.yogoq.com/en-US/core/ma-marketing-automation", "title": "Marketing Automation (MA)", "relation_type": "next" }, { "topic_id": "57fdc421-19e8-5771-88c9-035b18c522d5", "canonical_slug": "average-revenue-per-user", "canonical_url": "https://core.yogoq.com/en-US/core/average-revenue-per-user", "title": "Average Revenue per User (ARPU)", "relation_type": "used_together" }, { "topic_id": "2e14b64e-c011-531d-8fd0-347279ff900b", "canonical_slug": "current-ratio", "canonical_url": "https://core.yogoq.com/en-US/core/current-ratio", "title": "Current Ratio", "relation_type": "used_together" }, { "topic_id": "28fbcf58-d1eb-5e2b-9d39-edb879bc963d", "canonical_slug": "leadership", "canonical_url": "https://core.yogoq.com/en-US/core/leadership", "title": "Leadership", "relation_type": "related" } ], "quality": { "quality": "reviewed", "publication_status": "published_reviewed", "source_count": 3, "last_reviewed_at": "2026-05-14T00:00:00.000Z", "trust_policy_version": "core-trust-policy-v1-2026-06-22" }, "limitations": { "policy_version": "core-trust-policy-v1-2026-06-22", "professional_advice_boundary": "reference_only_not_professional_advice", "text": "This page is reference information for research and learning. For accounting, legal, finance, health, security, or other individual decisions, confirm against primary sources or qualified professionals.", "items": [ "Public pages support general understanding and practical context; they are not professional advice for individual cases.", "Fast-changing information such as regulations, accounting standards, prices, product specs, and legal requirements should be checked against primary sources before final decisions.", "Even when AI-assisted drafting or audit is used, publication relies on quality gates and human-readable evidence." ] } }