   
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Retained earnings are accumulated earnings that have not been distributed to shareholders but rather reinvested in the business. Put simply, the net income a company earns, less the dividends it pays, is the net addition to retained earnings for the accounting period. A company's retained earnings are disclosed at or near the bottom of the shareholders equity section of the balance sheet. Accountants may prepare a separate "statement of retained earnings" that shows the change in retained earnings during the accounting period; however, the statement of retained earnings is often combined with the income statement. Retained earnings may be appropriated for specific purposes (like bond payments) or unappropriated; only unappropriated retained earnings are available to be distributed as dividends. An appropriation of retained earnings may be disclosed on the balance sheet or in the footnotes to the financial statements. Note, however, that an appropriation of retained earnings does not imply that the amount is held and segregated as cash.
Rate this retained earnings definition...
|
|
|
|
 |
Where is the market headed? The answer may surprise you. Find out
with the exclusive & Barron's recommended charts of Chart of the Day. |
|
Popular Terms: in escrow, balance sheet, current ratio, implied volatility, ex-dividend, APR, open position, reverse mortgage, deferred revenue, real GDP, wholly-owned subsidiary, inflation, Zero Cost Collar, Key Rate Duration, average price per share, VIX, limit order, labor relations, command economy, quality assurance, LIBOR, debt service coverage, FTSE, phantom income, 1031 exchange, ex-dividend date, per diem, stock split, stock market close, minority interest, cancelled check, covered put, dividends payable, 1035 exchange, class C shares, diluted share, required rate of return, margin rate, retained earnings, EBITDA, FICO score, 144a, deferred tax, risk management, option premium, annual return, 401a, irrevocable trust, liquidity ratio
|
|
| |
