Revenue vs Profit: What's the Difference?

Revenue and profit are the two numbers people mix up most often. Knowing the difference is the foundation of reading any company's results.

Revenue — the top line

Revenue (also called turnover or sales) is the total money a company brought in from selling its products or services, before any costs are subtracted. It's called the "top line" because it sits at the top of the income statement.

Profit — the bottom line

Profit is what's left after costs. Net profit — the "bottom line" — is revenue minus every expense: operating costs, interest, tax, and one-offs. A company can have enormous revenue and still make a loss if its costs are higher.

Why both matter

Revenue shows scale and growth; profit shows whether that scale actually makes money. A fast-growing company might prioritise revenue growth over profit early on, then turn profitable at scale. Watch both over time, plus the margin that links them.

In the data

Both appear in every results row, so you can track revenue growth and profit growth separately.