In financial accounting, how is net income calculated for Earnings Per Share?

Net income for Earnings Per Share (EPS) is calculated by dividing net income by the number of shares outstanding. This formula provides a measure of a company's profitability on a per-share basis, which is crucial for investors to assess the company's financial performance relative to the shares they hold.

When calculating EPS, the intention is to give a clear picture of how much profit is attributable to each share of common stock. By dividing net income, which reflects the total earnings after all expenses, taxes, and costs have been deducted, by the number of shares in circulation, stakeholders can evaluate their returns on investment.

Other methods mentioned, such as multiplying net income by shares outstanding or adjusting net income by adding dividends or subtracting operating expenses, do not yield an appropriate measure for calculating EPS. These methods do not accurately reflect the profit attributed to each share or take into account the total number of shares that investors own. Thus, the correct approach to accurately measure earnings on a per-share basis is the division of net income by the number of shares outstanding.