IWSY (ImageWare Systems) Retained Earnings: $-206.95 Mil (As of Mar. 2022)

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IWSY ImageWare Systems Inc IWSY
12 GF Score
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What is ImageWare Systems Retained Earnings?

ImageWare Systems IWSY -99.00% 12 Retained Earnings is $-206.95 Mil as of Mar. 2022. GuruFocus rates IWSY with a GF Score™ of 12/100.

Retained earnings is the accumulated portion of net income that is not distributed to shareholders. ImageWare Systems's retained earnings for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2022 was $-206.95 Mil.

ImageWare Systems's quarterly retained earnings declined from Sep. 2021 ($-203.64 Mil) to Dec. 2021 ($-204.25 Mil) and declined from Dec. 2021 ($-204.25 Mil) to Mar. 2022 ($-206.95 Mil).

ImageWare Systems's annual retained earnings declined from Dec. 2019 ($-203.17 Mil) to Dec. 2020 ($-213.23 Mil) but then increased from Dec. 2020 ($-213.23 Mil) to Dec. 2021 ($-204.25 Mil).


ImageWare Systems  (OTCPK:IWSY) Retained Earnings Explanation

Historically profitable companies sometimes have negative retained earnings. This is because they have cumulatively paid out more to shareholders than they reported in profits.

For example, in 2011, Microsoft had negative retained earnings. This does not mean the company lost more money than it made over the years. It just means it paid out more money than it earned.

If a company has negative retained earnings, investors should check the 10-year financial results. They should not assume that negative retained earnings prove a company has generally lost money in the past.

Of course, many companies with negative retained earnings have indeed lost money in the past.

Retained Earnings: Warren Buffett's Secret.

One of the most important indicators of durable competitive advantage. Net earnings can be paid out as dividends, used to buy back shares or retained for growth.

If the company loses more than it has accumulated, retained earnings is negative.

If a company isn't adding to its retained earnings, it isn't growing its net worth.

Rate of growth of retained earnings is good indicator whether it's benefiting from a competitive advantage.

Microsoft is negative because it chose to buyback stock and pay dividends.

The more earnings retained, the faster it grows and increases growth rate for future earnings.


ImageWare Systems Retained Earnings Historical Data

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The historical data trend for ImageWare Systems's Retained Earnings can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

ImageWare Systems Retained Earnings Chart

ImageWare Systems Annual Data
Trend Dec12 Dec13 Dec14 Dec15 Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21
Retained Earnings
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -170.48 -186.65 -203.17 -213.23 -204.25

ImageWare Systems Quarterly Data
Jun17 Sep17 Dec17 Mar18 Jun18 Sep18 Dec18 Mar19 Jun19 Sep19 Dec19 Mar20 Jun20 Sep20 Dec20 Mar21 Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22
Retained Earnings Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -215.29 -204.12 -203.64 -204.25 -206.95
IWSY
12GF Score
ImageWare Systems Inc IWSY
Retained Earnings is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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ImageWare Systems Retained Earnings Calculation

Retained Earnings is the accumulated portion of net income that is not distributed to shareholders. Because the net income was not distributed to shareholders, shareholders' equity is increased by the same amount.

Of course, if a company loses, it is called retained losses, or accumulated losses.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Retained Earnings →
What does a Retained Earnings of $-206.95 Mil mean?
ImageWare Systems (IWSY) has a Retained Earnings of $-206.95 Mil as of Mar. 2022. Retained earnings is the amount of net income not issued to shareholders. View historical data on ImageWare Systems and its competitors.
Is ImageWare Systems' Retained Earnings too high?
ImageWare Systems' current Retained Earnings is $-206.95 Mil. Overall, ImageWare Systems has a GF Score™ of 12/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does ImageWare Systems' Retained Earnings compare to MAXD and FDBL?
ImageWare Systems' Retained Earnings of $-206.95 Mil can be compared against companies in the Software industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Retained Earnings for a Software company?
A good Retained Earnings depends on the Software industry context. However, Retained Earnings should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Retained Earnings mean?
A high Retained Earnings can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Retained earnings is the amount of net income not issued to shareholders. View historical data on ImageWare Systems and its competitors. ImageWare Systems's current Retained Earnings is $-206.95 Mil. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is ImageWare Systems stock overvalued right now?
ImageWare Systems (IWSY) has a current Retained Earnings of $-206.95 Mil. The current Retained Earnings is $-206.95 Mil. ImageWare Systems' overall GF Score™ is 12/100. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Retained Earnings calculated?
Retained Earnings is calculated from a company's financial statements. For ImageWare Systems (IWSY), the current Retained Earnings is $-206.95 Mil as of Mar. 2022. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

ImageWare Systems Business Description

Address 11440 West Bernardo Court, Suite 300, San Diego, CA, USA, 92127
ImageWare Systems Inc was founded to innovate imaging. The company built a digital booking platform. ImageWare has evolved as a holder of multimodal biometrics, managing over million identities daily. It is democratizing biometrics by offering defense grade identity and authentication solutions to the masses. By identifying the person, not a device, and never disclosing Personally Identifiable Information (PII), the company is giving populations around the globe access to their important data.
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Retained Earnings is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

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