Profit

1. Accounting

A surplus arising from the appropriate matching of revenues with expenditure.
For example, operating profit or net profit.

The profit for a period may differ from the cash flow because of:

• Items in cash flow which are not part of profit. For example capital expenditure or the collection of debtors recognised in prior periods; and
• Items in profit which are not cash flows. For example depreciation, amortisation, or making accruals.

2.

More generally any surplus, gain or net benefit arising.

See also

• Accrual
• Amortisation
• Attributable profit
• Break-even
• Business
• Capital expenditure
• Cash flow
• Debtors
• Depreciation
• Gross profit
• Loss
• Net profit
• Net profit margin
• Not-for-profit
• Operating profit
• Profit and Loss account
• Profit and Loss reserve
• Profit margin
• Profit maximisation
• Profit warning
• Profitability
• Recognition
• Turn
• Underlying
• Unrealised profit