In accounting, the 'bottom line' refers to the final amount on accounts or a balance sheet. Figuratively the 'bottom line' can also mean the most important or fundamental element of something.

1. The person at the bank spent ages explaining things and going over facts and figures, but the bottom line is we don't qualify for a mortgage just yet.

1. The company don't care about the environment, their employees, or their customers; they just care about making a profit. All they think about is the bottom line.
2. It doesn't matter how good an idea it was, the bottom line is that the product didn't sell, so we need to go back to the drawing board and come up with something that will.

1. Many businesses make the mistake of only engaging in short-term planning with the sole focus of increasing the next quarter's bottom line. Lack of a clear, long-term vision can severely limit opportunities for growth.