paper profit

American  

noun

1. an unrealized profit due to the appreciation of something owned but not yet sold.

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Etymology

Origin of paper profit

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

The shares have since fallen, but he’s still sitting on a paper profit of about $120 and doesn’t plan to sell.

From New York Times • Mar. 21, 2021

By the close those gains were trimmed back to 9.4 percent, but Berkshire was still sitting on a paper profit of nearly $3 billion.

From Reuters • Aug. 26, 2011

Warrants that Buffett negotiated as part of the deal give Berkshire a paper profit of more than $2 billion.

From BusinessWeek • Mar. 1, 2011

If we now take into account all the investments in Northern Rock and RBS, as well as Lloyds, the paper profit is closer to £7.4bn.

From The Guardian • Aug. 5, 2010

Teasing you along, letting you pile up a little paper profit, then bang!

From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner