Which financial term is commonly associated with investor returns and company reinvestment strategies?

The term that is commonly associated with investor returns and company reinvestment strategies is retained earnings. Retained earnings represent the portion of a company's profits that are not distributed to shareholders as dividends but are instead reinvested in the business. This can include funding for new projects, research and development, or paying down debt, which all contribute to the company’s growth potential. Investors often pay close attention to retained earnings because they reflect how effectively a company is using its profits to drive future growth and enhance shareholder value. Thus, retained earnings serve as a critical indicator of a company’s overall financial health and long-term strategy.

Other financial terms like total liabilities, gross revenue, and net worth have their own distinct meanings and implications in financial analysis, but they do not directly relate to the specific process of reinvesting profits to benefit investors in the same way that retained earnings do. Total liabilities highlight what a company owes, gross revenue shows total sales without deductions, and net worth indicates the difference between total assets and liabilities, none of which focus on reinvestment strategies.