The residual interest in the assets of a business after deducting all its liabilities. Also called owner's equity, net worth, or shareholders' equity.
Equity represents the owners' claim on the company's assets. It includes invested capital (share capital), retained earnings (accumulated profits not distributed as dividends), and reserves. Equity increases when the company earns profits or receives additional investment, and decreases with losses or dividend distributions.
A company has total assets of ₹1,00,00,000 and total liabilities of ₹60,00,000. The equity is ₹40,00,000, representing the owners' share in the business.
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They are essentially the same concept. Equity (shareholders' equity) is the accounting term used on balance sheets. Net worth is the informal term meaning the same — assets minus liabilities.
Yes. If a company's liabilities exceed its assets (due to accumulated losses), equity becomes negative. This is a serious warning sign of financial distress.
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