A profits warning is an alarming notice given to the public by a company informing them of a decline in its expected earnings. However, there are several other terms that can be used to describe a profits warning. The most common one is earnings downgrade, which implies an adjustment of the company's earnings forecast downwards. Another synonym is negative pre-announcement, which describes an early release of the earnings report indicating the company's failure to meet its targets. A corporate alert is also a term used to describe a profits warning, which serves as a signal to investors of potential financial turmoil. Lastly, a profit shortfall is another synonym that can be used to describe the same situation.