Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Noun Phrase 62.
The noun phrase today is bottom line.
Okay.
Let's look at the note here.
The bottom line is commonly used in several ways.
Yeah.
Today, we are going to cover three different meanings and three different uses of bottom
line.
And all of them are used commonly in business.
So that's why this can be a little confusing sometimes for students.
Sometimes students will say , well didn't bottom line mean that ? Yeah.
It means all three.
And it could be used very commonly in all three ways.
So let's look at the first meaning here.
When negotiating a deal, the bottom line is the least amount of money, a person or group
is willing to accept.
So the first one basically means this is your bottom price.
You can't go any lower than this price.
All right.
Let's look at number two.
The bottom line can also refer to the amount of profit or loss a company has over a period
of time.
So you can say that something is going to affect the company's bottom line.
Meaning whether they will make money or how much money.
What percentage of money for a quarter, several quarters or maybe even already for a whole
year.
It could affect their bottom line.
All right.
Let's look at number three.
The bottom line can also be used in regard to a decision or a situation and it is used
to express the main factor one has to consider.
So in this case the bottom line is probably the main thing that made them decide to either
do or not do something or to decide for or against something.
We say that's the bottom line.
Okay . So let's look at example number one, especially when it means the lowest price.
We always say someone's bottom line.
So their bottom line is one hundred and fifty thousand US dollars for this house.
If they cannot get an offer for at least that amount , the owners will take the house off
the market.
Yeah.
Maybe if they can't get at least $150,000, that's their bottom price.
Maybe they are going to lose money.
Maybe they will get in financial trouble.
They would probably would rather not even sell it at this time.
Maybe wait the market out.
Maybe eventually the prices will go back up.
But they think they cannot afford to sell it for less.
So that is their bottom price.
That is their bottom line.
All right.
Let's look at number two.
If oil prices start to rise again, it is going to hurt the bottom line of most airline companies.
Yeah.
If you remember years ago, when oil prices were fluctuating all over the place.
It was really crazy for a lot of airlines.
It was very difficult for them to you know, adjust their pricing In knowing how much it
is going to cost to fly.
So it is very difficult to run a business like that.
And when prices go up and especially if they stay up for a very long period of time.
It may hurt their profit margin.
So it may hurt their bottom line.
So again, you know it may look good for your bottom line.
Sometimes it could be in your favor.
But it is definitely also used in regard to loss.
And let's look at the third one here.
That company has decided not to turn over to alternative energy.
Yeah.
Maybe they were debating it.
Yeah.
Maybe they wanted to do the right thing for the environment or something.
yeah, but the bottom line is just not dependable enough and it is still too expensive.
So they still decided not to do it.
Because the bottom line is they just can't depend on it and it is too costly.
Maybe they cannot afford to do it.
That is the bottom line.
Okay.
Anyway, I hope you got it.
I hope it is clear . Thank you for your time.
Bye-bye.