minimal profits

USAGE SUMMARY

"minimal profits" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it whenever you need to refer to profits that are lower than what would be expected or desired. For example, "The company reported minimal profits last year due to rising production costs."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

For more than a decade, Amazon has teetered between minimal profits and no profits.

The New York Times - Tech

Also, the bigger margins on luxury vehicles are like manna to Detroit companies, caught in a parched wilderness of minimal profits on their volume cars and trucks.

The New York Times

Jeff Bezos, Amazon's founder, clearly has something even better underneath the retailer's shares, which have soared over the years despite minimal profits.

The Guardian - Business

Unlike the executives of Western oil giants like Exxon Mobil, the Chinese happily accept the strict terms of Iraq's oil contracts, which yield only minimal profits.

The New York Times

That would leave the automakers with minimal profits from each vehicle, no residual revenue from, say, maintenance and service, and diminishing relationships with car buyers, their natural customer base.

The New Yorker

Other analysts have noted that many newer tablets - particularly 7in (18cmodelsels - were selling at almost cost price, leading to minimal profits despite the boom in units shipped.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

They describe the dollar-slice business as a kind of public service, with minimal profit margins.

The New York Times

It turned a minimal profit and was followed four years later by The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story, which was such a flop that it went straight to video.

Independent

Apple sold that content at a very low price, gave most of the proceeds to the content providers, leaving minimal profit for the company.

Forbes

No DVDs to manufacture, ship or store, and minimal profit-sharing with a distributor.

Los Angeles Times

Because some dealers sell for minimal profit, the study concluded that "social supply" should become a distinct criminal offence, to differentiate the type of low-level dealer most common in universities from career drug sellers driven entirely by profit.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a company's financial performance, use "minimal profits" to convey that the company is making some money, but not as much as expected or desired. It suggests a need for improvement or a challenging economic environment.

Common error

Avoid using "minimal profits" when the company is actually losing money. "Minimal profits" means there is still a profit, albeit a small one. If there's a loss, use phrases like "no profits", "losses", or "negative earnings" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "minimal profits" functions as a noun phrase, where "minimal" modifies the noun "profits". It typically acts as the object or complement of a verb, describing a financial state. As Ludwig AI confirms, this expression is well-formed and readily usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Formal & Business

21%

Science

12%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "minimal profits" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a situation where profits are very low. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It's common in contexts like news reporting, formal business discussions, and even scientific analyses. While the phrase is not as frequent as other business terms, it's essential to use it accurately, distinguishing it from situations of loss or "no profits". When writing, ensure you're not overstating the situation; "minimal profits" indicates there is some gain, even if it's smaller than expected. For alternative expressions, consider "low earnings" or "thin margins" to convey similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

low earnings

Focuses on the low level of income generated.

small profits

Emphasizes the reduced size of the profit margin.

meager profits

Highlights the inadequacy or scarcity of the profits.

thin margins

Refers to the narrow gap between revenue and costs.

razor-thin profits

Implies profits are extremely small and easily eroded.

marginal profitability

Indicates a state of barely being profitable.

negligible gains

Focuses on the insignificance of the financial gains.

break-even results

Suggests income barely covers costs, with no significant profit.

unsubstantial returns

Emphasizes the limited amount of financial return.

modest earnings

Highlights the moderate or limited nature of the earnings.

FAQs

How can I use "minimal profits" in a sentence?

You can use "minimal profits" to describe a situation where a business is barely making money. For example, "The company reported "minimal profits" this quarter due to increased operating costs".

What's a good alternative to "minimal profits"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "low earnings", "small profits", or "thin margins". These phrases convey a similar meaning of low profitability.

Is it correct to say "minima profits" instead of "minimal profits"?

No, "minima profits" is grammatically incorrect. The correct term is "minimal profits", where "minimal" is an adjective meaning very small or least possible.

What does "minimal profits" imply about a company's financial health?

It suggests that the company's financial health may be weak or unstable. It indicates that the company is not generating enough revenue to cover its costs effectively or that it is facing significant challenges in its industry.