In this case, it's very close, yes. It's worth noting that you can also expand your balance sheet by buying any assets: spending the money on real estate, gove

In this case, it's very close, yes. It's worth noting that you can also expand your balance sheet by buying any assets: spending the money on real estate, government bonds, or even using the money to buy your own company stock would also expand the balance sheet, as long as the company retains ownership of those assets. But for people familiar with basic business terminology, it communicates something else, too. In business, there's a core belief that money at rest is money wasted. You generally want to use your money to buy something rather than letting it pile up. Saying that you're using the money to "expand your balance sheet" implies that we shouldn't think of that money as merely idle, undeployed capital - in fact, it's being used for a very specific purpose: to make the business healthier. Companies with healthier balance sheets are better prepared to handle unexpected scenarios, and their stock is more attractive to investors. A closer layman's translation might be, "keeping the profits, to make the business healthier."