What term describes the anticipated profit achieved by the end of an accounting period?

The term that describes the anticipated profit achieved by the end of an accounting period is net income. Net income represents the total revenue earned by a company minus all expenses, taxes, and costs incurred during a specific period. It reflects the company's profitability and is a key indicator of its financial performance.

While "target profit" may suggest an objective that a company aims to achieve, specifically in the context of planning or forecasting, it does not encapsulate the final actual profit realized at the end of an accounting period. In contrast, net income is the concrete measure of profit after all adjustments and calculations have been made for that time frame.

Operating profit refers to the earnings before interest and taxes but still does not account for all expenses, such as interest or taxes, that are deducted to determine net income. Lastly, a budget deficit indicates that expenses exceeded revenues, which is not aligned with measuring anticipated profit. Therefore, net income is the most accurate term for the profit realized at the end of an accounting period.