breakeven

noun break·even \ ˈbrāk-ˈē-vən \

|Updated on: 9 Jul 2018

Definition of breakeven

: the point at which cost and income are equal and there is neither profit nor loss; also : a financial result reflecting neither profit nor loss

Recent Examples of breakeven from the Web

While the market expectation for U.S. price growth, the five-year breakeven rate, has risen to the Fed’s target, the miss for headline prices in the euro area Wednesday underscores the challenge for bears seeking to drive momentum.

— sid verma, Bloomberg.com, "Bond Bulls Rejoice: There's Growing Evidence of Peak Bear Market," 19 Apr. 2018
The fund expects the breakeven price to fall to about $80 in 2019.

— Bloomberg.com, "Saudi Arabia's Economic Revamp Is Still an Oil Story," 2 May 2018
Today, the price has risen significantly to around $64, but that still falls short of what independent analysts believe is the country’s $70 per barrel breakeven point, according to an IMF report.

— justin worland, Time, "Here's How Cheap Oil Is Pushing Saudi Arabia to Reform," 22 Mar. 2018
Still, the company said the Model 3 would overcome those challenges and hit a breakeven point in gross profit margin by the fourth quarter of 2018.

— nathan bomey, USA TODAY, "Tesla production snags delay Model 3 electric car," 1 Nov. 2017
The breakeven price has become a metric that oil investors and analysts are watching like hawks.

— irina slav, USA TODAY, "Share buyback: BP boosts the bullish case for oil," 5 Nov. 2017
Alta Mesa’s core acreage in Northeast Kingfisher County has among the lowest breakevens in the U.S. at around $25 per barrel, the company said.

— lynn cook, WSJ, "Oilman Jim Hackett Is Back With an Oklahoma Shale Play," 16 Aug. 2017
Square still loses money, though the business is approaching the breakeven point and revenues in its most recent quarter grew 26%.

— aaron pressman, Fortune, "Data Sheet—Square’s Overlooked Success," 8 Sep. 2017
The five-year breakeven rate, a measure of inflation expectations, is near a five-week low at 5.30 percent.

— arabile gumede, Bloomberg.com, "South Africa's Central Bank Expected to Hold Off on a Rate Cut," 19 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'breakeven.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of breakeven

1958

in the meaning defined above

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break-even

adjective \ ˈbrāk-ˈē-vən \

Definition of break-even

: having equal cost and income

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First Known Use of break-even

1931

in the meaning defined above

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BREAKEVEN Defined for English Language Learners

break-even

adjective

Definition of break-even for English Language Learners

: having equal costs and income

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