poor earnings

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "poor earnings" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe financial performance that is below expectations or unsatisfactory in a business or personal context. Example: "The company's poor earnings this quarter have raised concerns among investors about its future profitability."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Often, they are undervalued because of poor earnings growth.

The New York Times

"Dillard's has had a very poor earnings record all throughout the 1990's".

The New York Times

Over all, advertising remains weak, as reflected in the poor earnings of publishing companies.

The New York Times

Companies with poor earnings but robust forecasts for the future, in contrast, have done quite well.

The New York Times

But the poor earnings — net income dropped 40 percent — also show why Sprint shareholders should be skeptical of Dish's offer.

The New York Times

At the same time, he surprised investors with poor earnings and a big writedown of Tyco's telecoms assets.

The Economist

The effect of downgrades from Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's were exacerbated by a poor earnings report.

The New York Times

A few major drug companies have had poor earnings reports recently, noted Joseph R. Romano of Advance Realty Group.

The New York Times

Tesco acknowledged, in reporting its poor earnings early this year, that its plans to build more larger stores had been too ambitious.

The New York Times

While Micron recently reported poor earnings, largely because of supply issues from October's floods in Thailand, it is expected to recover from that soon.

The New York Times

Hong Kong fell 7.3%, pulled down by a poor earnings outlook and by concerns over the stability of the Chinese currency.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing a company's financial health, quantify "poor earnings" with specific figures or percentages to provide context and demonstrate the extent of the issue. For example, "The company reported "poor earnings", with a 20% decrease in net profit compared to last year."

Common error

Avoid using "poor earnings" as a standalone critique without providing context or comparison. Instead, explain what makes the earnings 'poor' relative to expectations, previous performance, or industry benchmarks.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "poor earnings" functions as a noun phrase, typically acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It is used to describe the state of a company or individual's financial performance when it is considered unsatisfactory. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Formal & Business

20%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Science

6%

Reference

3%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "poor earnings" is a grammatically correct and very common noun phrase used to describe unsatisfactory financial performance. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. It is most frequently found in news and business contexts. When using this phrase, it's best to provide specific context or comparisons to clearly indicate the extent of the financial underperformance. Alternatives such as "low earnings", "weak earnings", and "disappointing earnings" can be used depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

low earnings

Emphasizes a lack of substantial financial gain, focusing on the lower end of the earnings spectrum.

insufficient earnings

Highlights that the earnings are inadequate to meet requirements or expectations.

weak earnings

Indicates a lack of strength or robustness in the financial performance.

poor revenues

Focuses on the inadequacy of income generated through sales or services.

bad earnings

A more general term indicating unsatisfactory or negative financial performance.

poor profits

Directly addresses the inadequacy of financial gains after deducting expenses.

poor incomes

Refers to low financial gains, often used in the context of personal or household finances.

disappointing earnings

Emphasizes that the earnings have failed to meet expectations or desired outcomes.

mediocre earnings

Suggests that the earnings are neither good nor bad, but simply average or unexceptional.

poor gains

Highlights a deficiency in the profits or increases achieved over a period.

FAQs

How can I use "poor earnings" in a sentence?

You can use "poor earnings" to describe a company's disappointing financial results, like in this sentence: "The company's "poor earnings" led to a drop in its stock price."

What are some alternatives to saying "poor earnings"?

Alternatives to "poor earnings" include phrases like "low earnings", "weak earnings", or "disappointing earnings", which convey similar meanings depending on the context.

Is it more accurate to say "poor earnings" or "low profits"?

Both "poor earnings" and "low profits" are suitable, but ""poor earnings"" is a more general term covering overall financial performance, while "low profits" specifically refers to the amount of money remaining after deducting expenses.

Why do companies experience "poor earnings"?

Companies may experience "poor earnings" due to various factors, such as decreased sales, increased costs, economic downturns, or increased competition.