In business and finance, earnings and profits are frequently used, and although they may be interchangeable, they have specific meanings.

The term earnings is often used to describe the income generated by a company during a specific period, often prior to any deductions being taken. When you hear the word 'earnings', it typically means revenue or sales that have been achieved.

Profits are defined as the amount left over after subtracting business expenses, such as costs of goods sold, operating expenses, taxes, and interest, from total earnings. Profits are the measure of how much the company has gained or lost during that period.

Conclusion: In a simple wording earnings is price of an apple and profits how much you have in hand after selling it to consumer.