@rbreich The company keeps the money, calls it a profitable quarter. The value of the stock goes up. Company execs with stock benefits sell off a little to cash out. The rich get richer, the speculator class get fatter like a tick on a dog, and middle management has to increase productivity and cut labor costs more next quarter otherwise the company is not experiencing "growth". Meanwhile the middle class gets further away from home ownership, college for their kids, & health care.