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Retained earnings
View on WikipediaThis article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (September 2020) |
The retained earnings (also known as plowback[1]) of a corporation is the accumulated net income of the corporation that is retained by the corporation at a particular point in time, such as at the end of the reporting period. At the end of that period, the net income (or net loss) at that point is transferred from the Profit and Loss Account to the retained earnings account. If the balance of the retained earnings account is negative it may be called accumulated losses, retained losses, accumulated deficit, or similar terminology.
Any part of a credit balance in the account can be capitalised, by the issue of bonus shares, and the balance is available for distribution of dividends to shareholders, and the residue is carried forward into the next period. Some laws, including those of most states in the United States require that dividends be only paid out of the positive balance of the retained earnings account at the time that payment is to be made. This protects creditors from a company being liquidated through dividends. A few states, however, allow payment of dividends to continue to increase a corporation’s accumulated deficit. This is known as a liquidating dividend or liquidating cash dividend.[2]
In accounting, the retained earnings at the end of one accounting period are the opening retained earnings in the next period, to which is added the net income or net loss for that period and from which is deducted the bonus shares issued in the year and dividends paid in that period.
If a company is publicly held, the balance of retained earnings account that is negatively referred to as "accumulated deficit" may appear in the Accountant's Opinion in what is called the "Ongoing Concern" statement located at the end of required SEC financial reporting at the end of each quarter.
Retained earnings are reported in the shareholders' equity section of the corporation's balance sheet. Corporations with net accumulated losses may refer to negative shareholders' equity as positive shareholders' deficit. A report of the movements in retained earnings is presented along with other comprehensive income and changes in share capital in the statement of changes in equity.
Due to the nature of double-entry accrual accounting, retained earnings do not represent surplus cash available to a company. Rather, they represent how the company has managed its profits (i.e. whether it has distributed them as dividends or reinvested them in the business). When reinvested, those retained earnings are reflected as increases in assets (which could include cash) or reductions to liabilities on the balance sheet.
Stockholders' equity
[edit]When total assets are greater than total liabilities, stockholders have a positive equity (positive book value). Conversely, when total liabilities are greater than total assets, stockholders have a negative stockholders' equity (negative book value) — also sometimes called stockholders' deficit. A stockholders' deficit does not mean that stockholders owe money to the corporation as they own only its net assets and are not accountable for its liabilities, though it is one of the definitions of insolvency. This means that the value of the assets of the company must rise above its liabilities before the stockholders hold positive equity value in the company.
- Retained earnings = opening retained earnings + current year net profit from p&l a/c – dividends paid in the current year
Tax implications
[edit]A company is normally subject to a company tax on the net income of the company in a financial year. The amount added to retained earnings is generally the after tax net income. In most cases in most jurisdictions no tax is payable on the accumulated earnings retained by a company. However, this creates a potential for tax avoidance, because the corporate tax rate is usually lower than the higher marginal rates for some individual taxpayers. Higher income taxpayers could "park" income inside a private company instead of being paid out as a dividend and then taxed at the individual rates. To remove this tax benefit, some jurisdictions impose an "undistributed profits tax" on retained earnings of private companies, usually at the highest individual marginal tax rate.
The issue of bonus shares, even if funded out of retained earnings, will in most jurisdictions not be treated as a dividend distribution and not taxed in the hands of the shareholder.
Retaining earnings by a company increases the company's shareholder equity, which increases the value of each shareholder's shareholding. This increases the share price, which may result in a capital gains tax liability when the shares are disposed of.
The decision of whether a corporation should retain net income or have it paid out as dividends depends on several factors including, but not limited to:
- Tax treatment of dividends, and
- Funds required for reinvestment in the corporation (called retention).
A number of factors affect the decision of the amount of profit that a corporation should retain, including:
- Quantum of net profit.
- Age of the business enterprise
- Dividend policy of the corporation
- Future plan regarding modernization and expansion.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Baumol, William J.; Blinder, Alan S. (20 March 2015). Microeconomics: Principles and Policy (13 ed.). Cengage Learning. p. 489. ISBN 978-1305534049.
- ^ "What is a Retained Earnings Deficit? – Definition | Meaning | Example". My Accounting Course. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
Retained earnings
View on GrokipediaDefinition and Fundamentals
Definition
Retained earnings represent the cumulative net income of a company that has not been distributed as dividends to shareholders but is instead reinvested in the business.[2] This accumulation reflects the portion of profits generated through operations that the company chooses to retain for internal use, building a reservoir of capital over time.[1] As a measure of self-generated funding, retained earnings provide resources that support ongoing operations, facilitate business expansion, or enable debt repayment without relying on external financing.[1] They embody the company's ability to sustain and grow from its own profitability, distinguishing them from borrowed funds or new equity issuances. Unlike other equity components, such as paid-in capital—which stems from shareholder contributions in exchange for stock—retained earnings are earnings-generated and arise solely from the company's post-tax profits after dividend payouts.[9] This internal origin underscores retained earnings as a reflection of operational success rather than investor capital injections.[10] For example, if a company reports $100,000 in net income and pays out $30,000 in dividends, the remaining $70,000 is retained and added to the existing retained earnings balance.[2] Retained earnings form a core part of stockholders' equity on the balance sheet.[1]Historical Context
The concept of retained earnings emerged in the early 20th century with the expansion of modern corporations, where double-entry bookkeeping—formalized in the 15th century but widely adopted by large firms by this period—enabled precise tracking of accumulated net income separate from paid-in capital. This development coincided with the growth of industrial enterprises like those in steel and manufacturing, which separated ownership from management and relied on internal funds for expansion rather than solely on external equity or debt. By the 1920s, financial reporting for public companies increasingly distinguished undistributed profits as a key component of equity, reflecting the shift toward managerial control over dividend policies.[11] In 19th-century accounting, undistributed profits were typically recorded in broad "surplus" accounts that combined earned income with other non-capital contributions, often leading to opaque distinctions in balance sheets amid varying state laws on dividends. The Great Depression of the 1930s exposed vulnerabilities in these practices, as speculative manipulations of surplus accounts contributed to investor losses and corporate failures. Post-Depression reforms, including recapitalizations and asset write-downs, promoted clearer separation of earned surplus (accumulated net income from operations) from contributed or capital surplus, reducing opportunities for earnings inflation; the modern term "retained earnings" (synonymous with "earned surplus") became preferred in mid-20th century accounting to further enhance clarity.[12][13][14] The U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 formalized the reporting of financial statements, including stockholders' equity components such as undistributed profits, by mandating audited periodic filings for publicly traded companies to restore investor confidence after the market crash. This legislation, enforced by the newly created Securities and Exchange Commission, required quarterly and annual reports that detailed equity to highlight a firm's financial health and reinvestment capacity.[15] World War II further shaped retention policies, as wartime demands for production prompted corporations to retain substantial earnings for reinvestment in facilities, machinery, and research to meet government contracts, rather than distributing them as dividends. Tax incentives and excess profits taxes during the war encouraged this approach, with retained earnings rising sharply; for instance, after-tax corporate profits reached $22.8 billion in 1950, the majority of which remained undistributed to fuel post-war industrial recovery and growth.[16]Calculation and Accounting Treatment
Basic Formula
The basic formula for calculating retained earnings at the end of an accounting period under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is expressed as: \text{Retained Earnings (Ending)} = \text{Retained Earnings (Beginning)} + \text{[Net Income](/page/Net_income) (or Loss)} - \text{Dividends Declared} [7][2] This equation captures the cumulative effect of a company's profitability and distributions to shareholders, forming the core of retained earnings computation as outlined in ASC 505-10 of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification.[7] The beginning retained earnings balance represents the accumulated undistributed earnings carried forward from the prior period's balance sheet.[2] Net income, or loss if applicable, is the bottom-line figure from the current period's income statement, reflecting revenues minus expenses after taxes.[4] Dividends declared denote the portion of earnings distributed to shareholders, typically as cash or stock, which reduces the retained balance.[2] To derive the ending retained earnings step by step, begin with the prior period's retained earnings balance as the starting point. Next, add the current period's net income to incorporate fresh profits, or subtract a net loss to account for deficits. Finally, deduct any dividends declared during the period to reflect shareholder payouts, yielding the updated retained earnings figure for the balance sheet.[4][7] For illustration, consider a company with beginning retained earnings of $500,000, net income of $200,000, and dividends declared of $50,000. Applying the formula results in ending retained earnings of $650,000 ($500,000 + $200,000 - $50,000).[2] This example demonstrates how positive net income increases the balance while dividends decrease it, maintaining the integrity of the equity section on the balance sheet.[4]Adjustments and Variations
Under U.S. GAAP, prior period errors, such as omissions or misstatements in financial statements arising from failure to use reliable information, require retrospective restatement, with the cumulative effect adjusted directly to the opening balance of retained earnings for the earliest period presented.[17] Similarly, voluntary changes in accounting principles are applied retrospectively, adjusting prior period financial statements and recognizing the cumulative effect in opening retained earnings, unless impracticable.[17] Restatements for these items ensure comparability, with disclosures explaining the nature and impact of the adjustments.[18] Under IFRS, IAS 8 mandates retrospective restatement for prior period errors, adjusting the opening balance of retained earnings for the earliest prior period presented, after reassessing the impact on each financial statement line item.[19] Changes in accounting policies also require retrospective application, with the cumulative effect adjusted to opening retained earnings, except when impracticable, to enhance the relevance and reliability of financial statements.[20] For instance, if prior net income was overstated by $10,000 due to an error in revenue recognition, the correction would reduce retained earnings by that amount in the opening balance of the restated period.[21] Under U.S. GAAP, small stock dividends (less than 20-25% of outstanding shares) involve transferring the fair value of the shares issued from retained earnings to common stock and additional paid-in capital, while large stock dividends (greater than 20-25% of outstanding shares) are typically accounted for at par value, without any cash outflow from the company.[22] In contrast, stock splits do not affect retained earnings, as they merely adjust the par value per share and increase the number of shares outstanding proportionally, preserving total equity.[23] Treasury stock transactions, such as retirement of repurchased shares, may reduce retained earnings if the cost exceeds the original issuance proceeds, but repurchases themselves are recorded as a contra-equity account without initially impacting retained earnings.[24] Accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) represents unrealized gains and losses in equity separate from retained earnings, but reclassifications occur when items are realized, such as transferring foreign currency translation adjustments to earnings upon disposal of a foreign operation.[25] Under U.S. GAAP, ASU 2018-02 provides an optional one-time reclassification of stranded tax effects in AOCI—resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act—to retained earnings, eliminating disproportionate tax impacts in equity without affecting net income. In IFRS, IAS 16 allows the revaluation surplus in AOCI for property, plant, and equipment to be transferred directly to retained earnings as the asset is used or upon derecognition, bypassing profit or loss.Presentation in Financial Statements
Balance Sheet Integration
Retained earnings are presented as a separate line item within the stockholders' equity section of the balance sheet, typically positioned below paid-in capital accounts such as common stock and additional paid-in capital.[7] This placement reflects their role as accumulated earnings reinvested in the business rather than distributed to shareholders, distinguishing them from initial capital contributions. Under U.S. GAAP, stockholders' equity must clearly delineate these components to provide transparency into the sources of equity financing.[7] The relationship between retained earnings and total equity is integral, as total stockholders' equity comprises contributed capital (from share issuances), retained earnings, accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) or other reserves, and adjustments such as treasury stock. The formula is expressed as: Total Stockholders' Equity = Contributed Capital + Retained Earnings + AOCI/Other Reserves - Treasury Stock.[26] This composition highlights retained earnings as the portion of equity generated internally through operations, contributing to the residual interest of shareholders after liabilities are deducted from assets.[3] In profitable companies, particularly mature ones, retained earnings can grow to exceed contributed capital and become the largest part of equity. This occurs when accumulated profits surpass the initial and additional capital invested by shareholders, and it is common in firms with sustained profitability that reinvest earnings rather than distributing them fully as dividends. The formula above illustrates how the components interact, and the amounts can vary over time as profits accumulate or new capital is raised.[3] To illustrate, consider a simplified excerpt from a balance sheet's equity section:| Stockholders' Equity | Amount ($) |
|---|---|
| Common Stock | 100,000 |
| Additional Paid-in Capital | 200,000 |
| Retained Earnings | 150,000 |
| Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income | 20,000 |
| Less: Treasury Stock | (30,000) |
| Total Stockholders' Equity | 440,000 |
Retained Earnings Statement
The retained earnings statement, also known as the statement of changes in retained earnings, serves to reconcile the beginning and ending balances of retained earnings over a specific accounting period, thereby linking the income statement's net income to the balance sheet's equity section.[29] This financial document provides transparency into how a company's profits are either reinvested or distributed, offering stakeholders insight into management's allocation decisions.[30] The standard format of the retained earnings statement begins with the prior period's ending retained earnings balance, adds the current period's net income (or subtracts a net loss), deducts dividends declared and paid, and incorporates any other adjustments such as prior-period corrections or changes due to accounting policy adoptions.[29] The resulting figure represents the ending retained earnings balance, which carries forward to the next period's equity reporting.[31] This straightforward structure ensures a clear audit trail for equity changes attributable to operations and distributions.[32] Under U.S. GAAP, public companies must disclose changes in stockholders' equity, including detailed reconciliations of retained earnings, either in a separate statement or in the notes to the financial statements, as required by SEC Regulation S-X Rule 3-04.[33] Similarly, under IFRS, IAS 1 mandates that entities present a complete statement of changes in equity for each period, explicitly showing movements in retained earnings alongside other equity components such as comprehensive income, owner transactions, and restatements.[34] These requirements apply to public companies to enhance comparability and investor understanding of equity dynamics.[5] For illustration, consider a hypothetical company with the following retained earnings statement for the year ended December 31, 2025:| Item | Amount ($) |
|---|---|
| Retained Earnings, January 1, 2025 | 400,000 |
| Add: Net Income | 150,000 |
| Less: Dividends Declared | (40,000) |
| Retained Earnings, December 31, 2025 | 510,000 |
