Earnings of a corporation from the current as well as prior years that have neither been distributed to the shareholders as dividends nor transferred to the surplus account. Corporate earnings accumulated over time. One of a corporation's equity or capital accounts. American Banker Glossary
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Accounting earnings that are retained by the firm for reinvestment in its operations; earnings that are not paid out as dividends. Bloomberg Financial Dictionary
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Earnings not paid out as dividends by a company. Retained Earnings are typically reinvested back into the business and are an important component of shareholders' equity.
► See also Reserves.
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retained earnings UK US noun [plural] (also retained profit, accumulated earnings, accumulated retained earnings) ACCOUNTING, FINANCE
► the part of a company’s profit in a particular period that it decides to keep, rather than paying it to shareholders as a dividend: »
PNC had retained earnings of $302 million that can be used to help make debt payments or be reinvested in the company.
»Laing lowered its total dividend from 7.6p to 6.8p, which is being paid from accumulated earnings.
»a retained earnings statement
Financial and business terms. 2012.