How to Find a Company’s Reported Revenue

Understanding a company’s reported revenue is important for assessing its financial position and operational success. Revenue represents the total economic inflow generated from a business’s primary activities before any expenses are considered. Locating this figure allows stakeholders to assess a company’s scale and market reach. This article guides you through finding and interpreting a company’s reported revenue.

What Revenue Represents

Revenue is the total income a company generates from its regular business operations over a specific period, such as a quarter or a fiscal year. It stands as the “top line” on a financial statement, signifying the gross amount of money earned from selling goods or providing services. This metric differs from profit, which is the amount remaining after all expenses, including the cost of goods sold, operating costs, interest, and taxes, have been deducted from revenue. Common types of revenue include sales of products, fees for services rendered, or income from subscriptions.

The Income Statement as the Primary Source

The income statement, often referred to as the Profit & Loss (P&L) statement or statement of operations, serves as the primary financial document for reporting revenue. This statement summarizes a company’s financial performance over a defined period, illustrating how revenue is transformed into net income. It presents a detailed breakdown of income and expenses, making it the initial point of reference for revenue figures.

Accessing Financial Statements for Public Companies

For publicly traded companies, financial statements are readily available through regulatory filings. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) mandates that these companies disclose their financial information publicly. You can access these documents using the SEC’s EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval) database, which is a publicly accessible system. Annual reports are filed on Form 10-K, providing a comprehensive overview of the company’s performance, while quarterly reports are submitted on Form 10-Q. Many public companies also provide direct access to these filings and other investor-related information on the investor relations sections of their corporate websites.

Identifying Revenue on the Income Statement

Once an income statement is obtained, the first line item represents revenue. Companies may use various terms for this figure, including “Revenue,” “Sales,” “Net Sales,” “Total Revenues,” or “Gross Sales.” “Net Sales” or “Net Revenue” reflects the gross sales amount after deducting returns, allowances, and discounts, representing the actual cash or equivalent generated from primary operations. This reported revenue figure appears before the calculation of the cost of goods sold and subsequent operating expenses.

Understanding Revenue for Private Entities

Obtaining revenue information for privately held companies presents a different challenge, as they are not subject to public disclosure requirements like SEC filings. External access to their financial statements is limited without direct cooperation from the company. For private businesses, revenue information is found within their internal financial reports, such as their own profit and loss statements. Directly inquiring with the business owner or management is the most straightforward method to obtain this financial data.