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Often a general phrase, meaning 'profits'. It does however have a very specific definition in the context of earnings per share. Here, it is defined as profit after tax, minority interests, extraordinary items and preference dividends. The objective of the calculation is to arrive at an earnings figure which is attributable to equity shareholders. As a result, all charges which rank prior to the equity shareholders are deducted in the calculation. Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein financial glossary
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The amount of profit a company realises over a given time period after all costs, expenses, and taxes have been paid. NYSE Euronext Glossary
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earnings earn‧ings [ˈɜːnɪŋz ǁ ˈɜːr-] noun [plural]
1. FINANCE the money that a person receives for the work they do in a particular period of time:
• He always thought he'd be satisfied even if his earnings didn't reach $20,000 a year.
• the gap between the gross earnings (= income before tax ) of manual and non-manual workers
2. ECONOMICS the total amount that people receive for the work they do in a particular industry or economy in a particular period of time:
• Figures on inflation, industrial production, average earnings (= the average amount that people earn ) and unemployment are expected to show continuing economic weakness.
3. FINANCE ACCOUNTING the profit that a company makes in a particular period of time, or the total profits that companies make in a particular industry or economy in a particular period of time:
• British Airways counts on North Atlantic flights for about half its earnings.
• This year, the steel industry's earnings should be higher with the completion of costly modernization programs.
• Few can match Quality's earnings growth of 40% per year over the past five years.
ˌannual ˈearnings
1. ECONOMICS FINANCE the amount someone earns in a year, or the average amount earned by people in an area or industry in a year:
• Growth in annual earnings in services slowed last year.
2. a company's profits for a particular year:
• General Electric reported annual earnings that make it the most profitable company in the US.
a company's profit from its main business activities:
• The company did also manage to double its core earnings compared to last year.
a company's profit for a particular period of time not paid out in
dividend S to people owning shares, but put into its
reserve S:
• Retained earnings grew last year as per-share earnings of $13.74 far exceeded the $2-a-year dividend rate.
net profit for a particular period of time, or for several periods of time, that is not paid to shareholders in
dividend S;
= RETAINED PROFIT 4. buy earnings growth FINANCE an investor buys earnings growth by buying shares that are quite cheap in relation to the amount of profit the company made in the previous year, hoping that the value of the shares will increase:
• The company could buy earnings growth for its shareholders by buying ports overseas with its excess capital.
— see also PE ratio* * *
earnings UK US /ˈɜːnɪŋz/ noun [plural]
► FINANCE »
Earnings from record sales topped £5 million.
lower/strong/record earnings »
It was one of the few companies that showed strong earnings.
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Sun Microsystems reported earnings that were slightly better than the market had been expecting.
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expected/forecast earnings
► HR,
WORKPLACE »
Family credit is reduced as earnings rise.
»
They are suing each other for loss of earnings.
»
weekly/monthly earnings