Adjusted earnings.

In plain English

Standard profit follows a fixed rulebook called GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). Adjusted earnings start from that number and then add back or strip out things the company argues do not reflect its normal operations, like restructuring costs or a one-time charge. The adjusted figure is often higher than the standard one, and it is usually the number a company puts in its headline. It can be a fair read on the underlying business, or it can flatter a weak quarter, and the report shows both so you can compare them.

01Why it matters

When a company leads with an adjusted number, the standard GAAP figure sits next to it. A small gap means the adjustments are minor. A large gap means the company's preferred number and the rulebook's number disagree, and it is worth knowing why.

02The math, step by step

A company reports standard profit of $0.90 per share but leads with adjusted earnings of $1.10, after adding back a one-time restructuring charge. The $0.20 difference is the adjustment, and both numbers appear in the same report.

03What this is NOT

04Receipts

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