Profit what is it?

[artisan]

The Chairman of BA has just announced something like 'this will be our most successful year ever. Jobs will go, but profits will rise enormously.'

Who do these profits go to? Not the people who have worked for them and then lost their jobs.

Is the definition of success making the capitalist more secure in his ivory tower?

[Yodameister]

Success is what the owners of a company define it to be.

 

But if a company is owned by shareholders then profit is the agreed measure of success as it is almost exclusively what people hold shares for.

[lizzmobile]

Profit is all the money left over after taxes, dues and debts have been paid.

[Unisol]

Profit is all the money left over after taxes, dues and debts have been paid.

 

 

Unless it's pre-tax profit which is usually what is quoted.

 

(sorry for being pedantic)

[lizzmobile]

No, no, you're absolutely right; it makes more impressive reading on the press release

 

So that makes it all the money that is left over then?

[artisan]

What I mean is of what use is to us, the man in the street? These vast ammounts are not fed back to us as they should be. They only go to a few self serving individuals.

The rip off of privatising public services was a prime example. They take off you what is yours by right, then sell it back to you! A classic conmans trick and one which has made a few billionaieres both here and in the old soviet union.

[syko1979]

Interesting note re profit.

 

Public companies in the United States HAVE to do everything in their power to make the most profit they can. It's a law.

 

Throws up some very interesting moral questions.

[shefweb]

Profit is everything left after capital costs (stock, equipment), salaries, consumables, loans interest and corporate and other taxes are paid. Companies need to generate a profit to invest in new materials (planes aren't cheap) and it is very, very hard to calculate a price point that will get you profit and not give serious risk of a loss. I agree, though, that many corporate profits (banks, oil companies and Tesco's) are utterly ludicrus.

 

Interesting point that Skyo, didn't know that, does explain a lot

[PatzB]

What I mean is of what use is to us, the man in the street? These vast ammounts are not fed back to us as they should be. They only go to a few self serving individuals.

The rip off of privatising public services was a prime example. They take off you what is yours by right, then sell it back to you! A classic conmans trick and one which has made a few billionaieres both here and in the old soviet union.

 

Its of great use if you have shares in BA

 

Air travel is not privatising public service

 

BA is a commercial company which is there to make a profit, what commercial company isn’t???

[artisan]

Profit is everything left after capital costs (stock, equipment), salaries, consumables, loans interest and corporate and other taxes are paid. Companies need to generate a profit to invest in new materials (planes aren't cheap) and it is very, very hard to calculate a price point that will get you profit and not give serious risk of a loss. I agree, though, that many corporate profits (banks, oil companies and Tesco's) are utterly ludicrus.

 

Interesting point that Skyo, didn't know that, does explain a lot

I know what the definition of profit is, I had a good education and have access to dictionaries (no sharp objects though) I am trying in a ham fisted way to point out the disgrace of a Chairman saying his company is doing well when he is sacking workers in the intersts of greater profit.

Once again who is getting all this profit. You say shareholders. In that case tax them at 99% and put the money back into the country, which is where it belongs and not in some foreign bank vault