Losses and unprofitable companies
Last updated November 11, 2026
Flow amounts in SankeyArt must be greater than 0, so you can't enter a loss as a negative number. This article shows two ways to show a loss instead.
The examples use a company whose operating expenses of $55B are higher than its gross profit of $48B, which leaves an operating loss of $7B.
Option 1: let the loss flow into the expenses#
Show the loss as a flow into the node whose costs it covers. Here, the operating loss flows into the operating expenses, next to the gross profit:
| From | To | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | Gross profit | 48 |
| Revenue | Cost of revenue | 75 |
| Gross profit | Operating expenses | 48 |
| Operating loss | Operating expenses | 7 |
| Operating expenses | Sales & marketing | 35 |
| Operating expenses | R&D | 10 |
| Operating expenses | General & admin | 10 |
The flows into Operating expenses (48 + 7) match the flows out of it (35 + 10 + 10), so the node is balanced. Drag the Operating loss node to where it reads best.
Option 2: show the loss as a separate flow#
Show the loss as a flow that isn't connected to the rest of the diagram, for example from the operating loss to the net loss:
| From | To | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | Gross profit | 48 |
| Revenue | Cost of revenue | 75 |
| Gross profit | Operating expenses | 55 |
| Operating expenses | Sales & marketing | 35 |
| Operating expenses | R&D | 10 |
| Operating expenses | General & admin | 10 |
| Operating loss | Net loss | 7 |
| Interest payments | Net loss | 2 |
Then:
- Drag the Operating loss node close to the Gross profit node.
- Select the Gross profit node and select 2nd line custom text.
- Enter the gross profit, for example "$48B".
The custom text is needed because more flows out of Gross profit (55) than into it (48). When a node's flows don't add up, SankeyArt shows the greater value, here 55. The editor lists the node under Some nodes are not balanced, which is expected in this case.
See Labels and number formats for more on custom label text.