n the private$-$label operating benchmarks section on p$.7$ of each issue of the FIR, the industry$-$low, industry$-$ average, and indust high benchmarks for the margins over direct costs $($as explained in the Help section for this same page$)$ should be interpreted as representing the gross profit earned $($or lostin the case of a negative number$)$ on each pair of private$-$label footwear sold in the various regions how much per private$-$label pair sold in each region was available to $(1)$ help cover any of a seller's branded expenses in the region not covered by branded revenues and $(2)$ increase the seller's operating profits in the region the amount per pair of private$-$label footwear sold that flowed into a company's retained earnings account $($or the amount deducted in the case of a negative number $)$ the net profit earned $($or lost in the case of a negative number $)$ on each pair of private $-$label footwear supplied to a given region's chain retailers the seller's net revenue gain $($or loss in the case of a negative number$)$ on each pair of private$-$label footwear sold to a given region's chain retailers