Understanding ‘Banner Year’

If you’re just entering the job market, you may hear businesses and offices talking about a “banner year.” This phrase means a particularly successful year for a business or organization. It usually refers to a year with very high profits, sales, or revenue. The phrase suggests that a company’s performance has really flown higher than it normally would – like a banner or flag fluttering in the wind.

For example, if a fictitious company had a 5% increase in annual sales over the previous year, it would be considered an average year for the company. However, if it had a 15% increase in annual sales, that could be considered a “banner year” in comparison.

Businesses and organizations often set certain goals and benchmarks for each fiscal or calendar year, and achieving them usually means being able to declare that it was a “banner year.” A company or organization declaring that they’ve had a “banner year” is a positive sign and an indication that they are healthy and thriving.