A surplus is any resource or asset — farm goods, manufactured products, money, oil and other natural resources, land, or anything else that normally has value — above what is useable. It’s a problem for a seller in a market economy because it either can’t be sold at all or has to be sold at a loss.

It’s a good thing for a consumer who has excess assets that can be sold, invested, or saved for future use. It’s a good thing for companies, too, if we are talking about excess profits that can be distributed to owners and shareholders, invested in growth, or saved for future use.

So a surplus is not inherently good or bad. It depends on the nature of the surplus and the business of the person or company that accumulates it.