Net operating losses

Net operating losses

Losses that a firm can take advantage of to reduce taxes.

Operating Loss

The state in which a company's operating expenses exceed its income for a given period of time, usually a quarter or a year. A company can carry back or carry forward operating losses for a certain number of years, reducing the company's tax liability. This is positive, but an operating loss still means that the company is losing money, which cannot be sustained over the long term.