Noun
retained earnings pl (plural only)
(accounting) The amount of net income left over for a business after it has paid out dividends to its shareholders.
Synonym: retained income
It was nice to think that the key to feeding nine billion people was to measure return on investment by maximizing calories and minimizing misery, instead of minimizing capital investment and maximizing retained earnings to shareholders. Cory Doctorow
The net impact on retained earnings at 1 July 2019 on the adoption of AASB 16 was a decrease of $4,000. Source: Internet
This, of course, diminishes the retained earnings of those who have been productive. Source: Internet