Another reason is money: some complex surgeries are less profitable for doctors and hospitals, so they have less of an incentive to offer them, doctors say.
Mayor Bloomberg accounted for a substantial part of Quadrangle's business, but because he paid lower fees than other clients, his business was less profitable for the firm.
Finally, Airtex decided it had to pay for training itself, even if that meant the company was less profitable for a while.
In the latest quarter, consumers were buying bottled soft drinks to take home, which is less profitable for the company than drinks sold in restaurants.
"Everyone who watches them knows they're less profitable for all kinds of reasons," said Dave Hanson, a money manager based in Seattle.
The country's socialised medical system is less profitable for them than the American market, and "grey market" shipments of branded drugs from Canada have undercut the fat margins they are used to across the border.
To keep their customers from going elsewhere, many lenders will refinance a 30-year loan at 15 years, or even 10 years, even though the shorter terms are less profitable for the bank.
Even if scrappage schemes are continued or tapered, there may not be many buyers left who meet the qualifications.Although the scrappage schemes have kept factories going, most of the action has been geared towards cheap, small vehicles which are less profitable for carmakers.
