Revenue vs Income: A Guide For Your Business

Written by kahwyn, March 29, 2021

Common financial ratios that use data from the income statement include profit margin, operating margin, earnings per share (EPS), price-to-earnings ratio, and return on stockholders’ equity. At the same, investors and analysts view net income as a somewhat deceiving profitability measure that provides a distorted picture of the company’s operating efficiency. Retained earnings are the cumulative total of profit or net income that a company has put aside or saved for future use. Retained earnings are listed in the shareholders’ equity section of the balance sheet. A company’s gross income is perhaps the most simple measure of the firm’s profitability. While it’s important for investors to review a company’s revenue and earnings before making an investment decision, there are other metrics investors can use in their analysis.

• While high revenue indicates significant sales activity, it does not guarantee profitability.
• A company’s revenue and its operating income can end up as two very different numbers.
• Therefore, a single number of retained earnings could contain decades of historical value accumulated over a much longer reporting period.
• The basic meaning of income is the amount of money an individual or an organization receives for selling goods, providing services, or investing capital.

In contrast, stagnant or diminishing earnings might flag challenges in maintaining market competitiveness. Earnings, before any deductions, are labeled as “gross income.” Once all deductions, including taxes, are factored in, we get the “net income.” If you’re looking to unlock revenue growth for your online company, you’ll benefit from our easy-to-use full-service ecommerce platform that supports any subscription-based billing model.

In some cases, the reliability of revenue can be questionable as the metric is prone to potential manipulation. For example, the management of a company can artificially inflate revenues by applying aggressive revenue recognition the systemic implications of bail principles. Over 1.8 million professionals use CFI to learn accounting, financial analysis, modeling and more. Start with a free account to explore 20+ always-free courses and hundreds of finance templates and cheat sheets.

Different Financial Statements

Since net income is added to retained earnings each period, retained earnings directly affect shareholders’ equity. In turn, this affects metrics such as return on equity (ROE), or the amount of profits made per dollar of book value. Once companies are earning a steady profit, it typically behooves them to pay out dividends to their shareholders to keep shareholder equity at a targeted level and ROE high.

• Understanding the difference between federal, state, and local tax requirements for your business is important.
• It’s important to note that retained earnings are an accumulating balance within shareholder’s equity on the balance sheet.
• Amanda Bellucco-Chatham is an editor, writer, and fact-checker with years of experience researching personal finance topics.
• Given the complexities of revenue and earnings reporting, it is beneficial for businesses to seek professional guidance from accountants, auditors, or financial advisors.
• Revenue and retained earnings provide insights into a company’s financial performance.

Based on revenue alone, a company could appear to be financially successful. A company’s management will frequently tout its growing revenue when discussing its future prospects; however, revenue alone does not paint a complete picture of a company’s financial health. Additionally, firms with incredibly high profit margins, like those in the software sector boasting 70-90% margins, might display earnings that feel disproportionately higher than revenue. Furthermore, unique financial windfalls, like a significant asset sale, can momentarily inflate earnings beyond regular revenue. For discerning investors, juxtaposing the two metrics can yield invaluable insights, ensuring informed and judicious investment decisions.

Is Revenue More Important Than Income?

Any such additional income is accounted for separately on balance sheets and financial statements. Revenue is reported on the income statement, highlighting the company’s sales performance. Earnings, however, provide a comprehensive view of profitability and are crucial for assessing a company’s financial health. Investors often pay close attention to earnings as it affects their perception of a company’s value and growth potential. In the context of business operations, income is the amount of money a company retains internally after paying all expenses and taxes. Similar to revenue, net income appears on the company’s income statement.

Discovering the Secrets of Success: How to Calculate Increase in Sales

Understanding the various sources of revenue is essential for assessing a company’s business model and growth potential. Retained earnings is the residual value of a company after its expenses have been paid and dividends issued to shareholders. Retained earnings represents the amount of value a company has “saved up” each year as unspent net income. Should the company decide to have expenses exceed revenue in a future year, the company can draw down retained earnings to cover the shortage. Retained earnings isn’t as straightforward as it may not be advantageous to maximize retained earnings. A company may decide it is more beneficial to return capital to shareholders in the form of dividends.

Operating income does not include money earned from investments in other companies or nonoperating income, taxes, and interest expenses. Also excluded are any special or nonrecurring items, such as acquisition expenses, proceeds from the sale of a property, or cash paid for a lawsuit settlement. The net earnings of a company provide the most comprehensive measure of a company’s performance after all expenses are subtracted. A well-run company will generally have both high revenue (plenty of success in sales) and well-proportioned income (ability to keep operating costs low).

Importance of the revenue and earnings analysis

Different accounting principles and standards govern revenue and earnings recognition. Let’s explore the specificities of revenue and earnings in e-commerce, highlighting their critical disparities, significance, and specialized strategies for managing revenue and earnings to drive higher profits. In simple terms, it is the amount a firm receives from the sale of output without subtracting any taxes and expenses. The money that a person or organization makes from the sale of commodities, the provision of services, or the investment of capital is the basic definition of Income. Rising earnings often suggest robust demand for the company’s offerings, potentially heralding future growth.

For gross income, ensure your accounting team has a grasp of the different areas of expense. A detailed loss statement can spell out selling, general and administrative (SG&A) costs often form the bulk of the expense for SaaS companies. Calculating earnings, in very general, involves deducting all expenses from the revenue. If a company generates $10,000 in revenue but incurs $8,000 in expenses, the earnings would be $2,000.

Earnings are a critical metric for investors and stakeholders as they indicate the company’s ability to generate sustainable profits. On the other hand, retained earnings is a “bottom-line” reporting account that is only calculated after all other calculations have been settled. Ending retained earnings is at the bottom of the statement of changes to retained earnings which is only assembled after net income (the “true” bottom line) has been determined. These expenses often go hand-in-hand with the manufacture and distribution of products. For example, a company may pay facilities costs for its corporate headquarters; by selling products, the company hopes to pay its facilities costs and have money left over.

A real-world example of revenue vs income

While revenue illustrates the overall monetary inflow, earnings delve deeper, reflecting profitability after all deductions. Last year, it amassed $100 million from widget sales and an additional $10 million as interest from investments, resulting in a total revenue of $110 million. Understanding the difference between revenue vs income is crucial for making informed financial decisions, such as budgeting, investing, and pricing strategies. Similarly, a highly competitive market can force businesses to lower their prices to remain competitive, which can reduce revenue and income. In a company’s income statement, revenue typically appears near the top. The net figure is near the bottom, also known as the “bottom line.” As a result, revenue is a larger category that includes income as a subset.

Transparent and consistent reporting of revenue and earnings enhances investor confidence, improves access to capital, and strengthens relationships with stakeholders. Revenue and earnings analysis allows businesses to evaluate their performance over time. By comparing revenue and earnings from different periods, companies can identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement.