Retained earnings is the accumulated portion of net income that is not distributed to shareholders. Zai Lab's retained earnings for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $-2,679.6 Mil.
Zai Lab's quarterly retained earnings
declined
from Sep. 2025 ($-2,578.2 Mil) to Dec. 2025 ($-2,628.6 Mil) and
declined
from Dec. 2025 ($-2,628.6 Mil) to Mar. 2026 ($-2,679.6 Mil).
Zai Lab's annual retained earnings
declined
from Dec. 2023 ($-2,196.0 Mil) to Dec. 2024 ($-2,453.1 Mil) and
declined
from Dec. 2024 ($-2,453.1 Mil) to Dec. 2025 ($-2,628.6 Mil).
Zai Lab (NAS:ZLAB) 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.
Zai Lab Retained Earnings Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Zai Lab'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.
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.
What does a Retained Earnings of $-2,679.6 Mil mean?
Zai Lab (ZLAB) has a Retained Earnings of $-2,679.6 Mil as of Mar. 2026. Retained earnings is the amount of net income not issued to shareholders. View historical data on Zai Lab and its competitors.
Is Zai Lab's Retained Earnings too high?
Zai Lab's current Retained Earnings is $-2,679.6 Mil. Overall, Zai Lab has a GF Score™ of 64/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Zai Lab's Retained Earnings compare to TYRA and TRVI?
Zai Lab's Retained Earnings of $-2,679.6 Mil can be compared against companies in the Biotechnology 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 Biotechnology company?
A good Retained Earnings depends on the Biotechnology 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 Zai Lab and its competitors. Zai Lab's current Retained Earnings is $-2,679.6 Mil. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Zai Lab stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Zai Lab (ZLAB) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is $30.30, compared to a current price of $18.00 — trading 40.6% below its estimated fair value. The current Retained Earnings is $-2,679.6 Mil. Zai Lab's overall GF Score™ is 64/100 with 8 warning signs to review. 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 Zai Lab (ZLAB), the current Retained Earnings is $-2,679.6 Mil as of Mar. 2026. 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.
Is Zai Lab (ZLAB) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Zai Lab stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $18.00 is trading 40.6% below its estimated GF Value™ of $30.30.
GuruFocus considers Zai Lab to be Possible Value Trap.
Key valuation signals for ZLAB:
Retained Earnings: $-2,679.6 Mil
GF Value™: $30.30 vs. price of $18.00 (40.6% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the ZLAB stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Zai Lab Ltd is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on discovering or licensing, developing, and commercializing proprietary therapeutics that address areas of unmet medical need including in the fields of oncology, autoimmune and infectious diseases. Zai Lab has a diverse pipeline of potentially first-in-class product candidates developed through in-house R&D and global partnerships. The company has successfully commercialized several products in China, including Zejula, Optune, Qinlock, and Nuzyra, with plans for further expansion The pipeline of proprietary drug candidates of the company includes ZL-1222, ZL-1311, ZL-6201 and many others.
64GF Score
Get the complete analysis for ZLAB
Retained Earnings is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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