operating income

operating income

The excess of revenues over expenses derived from normal business operations. Operating income, representing income from ordinary business activities, excludes expenses, such as interest and taxes. Unusual nonrecurring items, such as gains from selling a subsidiary or losses from closing a plant, are not included in the calculation of operating income. Also called earnings before interest and taxes, operating profit. Compare operating loss. See also operating revenue.

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Operating Income

A company's income from the goods and services it provides, less its operating expenses and depreciation. The operating income does not include losses from interest payments or income tax. For example, a widget manufacturer earns $1,000,000 in gross revenue from the sale of widgets. The widgets cost $200,000 to make and his administrative and payroll expenses total $250,000. He also must subtract $50,000 in depreciation on his widget manufacturing equipment. His operating income is stated as: $1,000,000 - $200,000 - $250,000 - $50,000 = $500,000. Operating income is closely related to earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), but EBIT includes nonoperating income, which is usually (but not always) significantly less than operating income. See also: Net income.