What is super normal profit?

Super normal profit refers to any profit that exceeds normal profit. Normal profit occurs when a firm's total revenue equals its total costs, which includes both explicit costs (like wages and rent) and implicit costs (such as opportunity costs of capital). When a firm generates more profit than this baseline, it is said to earn super normal profit.

This concept is significant in microeconomics, particularly in understanding market structures. In perfectly competitive markets, sustained super normal profits may attract new entrants, ultimately pushing profits back to normal levels due to increased competition. Conversely, in monopolistic or less competitive markets, firms might maintain super normal profits for extended periods due to barriers to entry or market power.

The other options do not accurately define super normal profit. Profit from selling products below average cost would lead to a loss rather than a profit. Profit derived from fixed asset sales doesn't specifically relate to the ongoing profitability from operations. Lastly, profit exactly matching total costs defines normal profit, not super normal profit.