I don’t understand why companies need to grow when they already produce big or even obscene profits every year
Because it’s driven by shareholders. Consistent profits is fine for the company itself to continue operating, but doesn’t typically move the needle on stock prices. The amount that shareholders would get as dividend payouts for a consistently profitable company is completely trivial compared against what they get if the share price grows by 20%.
This is a big part of the reason why publicly traded companies are so growth obsessed, often to the detriment of the actual product/service they’re providing, their customers, or their employees.
Their customers then, are the shareholders and not the people who buy their products or services. What happens if they lose the shareholders? If the company already is making enough money to support it self, what is the need for shareholders?
If the company is publicly traded and has shareholders, then it doesn’t have enough money to support itself. When you’re buying a share in the company, what you’re effectively doing is giving such company a loan. And you expect your money back. Plus interest.
Let’s imagine a very simplified example. Company X plans to produce goods valued at $1,000 and they need $990 to produce them (that uncludes all the operational costs like materials, wages, taxes, marketing, etc). They aim for 1% profit margin ($10) at the end of they year. The problem? X management only has $900 in cash. So how can they achieve their goal? One option would be to fire some people, produce less goods and earn less money. Another option would be to seek investment for $90.
Again, this is a very simplified example. So, they go public and create shares which they value at $90. You go and them. Everything looks great, right?
Now the year passes. Balance at the start was $900 + $90 = $990. Then they spend $990 on manufacturing and their balance became $990 - $990 = $0.
X had a great year, they sold everything, there were no issues, happy days! So, $0 + $1,000 = $1,000. But you ask for your loaned money back. So, $1,000 - $90 = $900. And they can’t produce $1,000 worth of goods next year, because they lack your $90.
What X needs to do is to either increase their profit margin in some way to cover your loan or find a way not to give your money back to you. In short, they are either now permanent slaves to shareholders or they need HUGE profit margin, which is not always possible. And when you start factoring in taxes, inflation, reserve funds, etc, company liability just grows sky high.
The reality is that running a business is very hard. US has tens of millions of registered companies and corporations. But you only hear about a few rich outliers in the news. Because majority of them are barely surviving.
If they lose the shareholders? That only means shareholders are seeking their shares, they go to another shareholder or are getting bought back by the company… If everyone is selling then the share price is driven down (too much offer) and the company might end up getting delisted from major exchanges, it doesn’t mean they don’t make a good product or whatever, but if everyone is jumping ship then there usually is a reason for it…
The company makes profit from shareholders only when it’s their own shares that they’re selling or when new shares are being bought, so initial offering, subsequent offerings (increasing the total number of shares that exist, current shareholders might not appreciate it). Going back to being private after finding success (buying back all the shares on the market) is usually so expensive that it’s not something the company will consider doing, especially at that means depending on private investments to raise capital instead of being able to simply sell shares owned by the company or emit more shares.
Shareholders definitely add to the problem, but one of the inherent flaws in capitalism is that there is a natural growth imperative.
From a macroeconomic perspective governments and economies require growth to insure political stability for consumers and producers. There’s also a need to recoup the amount of currency that banks take out of circulation.
From a microeconomic perspective the growth imperative is driven by the inherent mechanisms of competition and accumulation. Basically, the only way to stay in competition is to increase the investment into a company’s future profits.
There are many reasons.
For example, there’s a legal reason - if the management of a public company doesn’t do everything in its power to grow the business, such management is facing criminal charges.
There’s a financial reason - if the profit margin is below inflation, then the company is losing money and will go bankrupt over time.
Tax structure is also a reason. The company is not allowed to hoard money, excessive income is heavily penalised by taxes. So the company is forced to reinvest and grow.
There are other reasons as well. Most of them exist to protect the population from financial crime of all sorts. One way or another.
But obscene profits don’t mean shit, only profit margin does. If your profit is $1b, but your margin is just 1%, then your business is dying as it doesn’t even cover inflation. You’re losing money in real terms, even with a spare $1b in your bank account.
This is capitalism.
Unregulated Capitalism is the issue not Capitalism itself. Ideas can’t harm you. It is the implementation that is the issue.
I do not believe in getting rid of capitalism as well, just wanting it well regulated but reread your reply and exchange capitalism with nazism. Some ideas can hurt no matter the implementation.
Nope. The only reason we know Fascism is bad is because we understand the idea of Nazism. The concept itself is great for those that wish to avoid Authoritarian goals. The idea isn’t dangerous. There is no such thing as dangerous information. Information, no matter the subject, is only volatile when mixed with People intending harm. Whether the harm is “justifiable by the goals” or open bigotry or simply stupidity is irrelevant. It is the People you must watch, not the information.
But, but, but the private market solves everything! (/s)
… I don’t disagree, but which company
It’s Wendy’s yo 💎🤙
Wendy’s increased its net income by 70%, pays its CEO 532X more than its median worker & is spending $100 million on stock buybacks. Now it’s blaming the rising price of a Frosty on inflation? No. The problem isn’t the Wendy’s worker who got a 50 cent raise. It’s corporate greed.
https://twitter.com/sensanders/status/1504495754789990403
just gotta google “ceo 532x more pay” 😉
Ahh, the invisible hand of the market strikes again… /s
