scant profits

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "scant profits" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where profits are minimal or insufficient, often in a business or financial context. Example: "Despite the increase in sales, the company reported scant profits due to rising operational costs."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The auto industry has long been used to cycles of low volume and scant profits followed by high volume and big profits.

The New York Times

That same year, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing divested Imation, which included data storage and imaging businesses with well over $1 billion in annual sales but scant profits.

The New York Times

As more and more experiences -- musical, literary, erotic -- get translated into downloadable, postphysical entities, what scant profits there are now will dwindle away.

The New York Times - Magazine

Mr. Hewlett's argument against the merger has been that by purchasing Compaq, Hewlett-Packard would greatly increase its dependence on the brutally competitive personal computer business, with its scant profits.

The New York Times

In a dizzyingly fast move, investors fled new-economy technology and Internet companies, with their big dreams and scant profits, for the safety of solid old-economy titans like Ford and Procter & Gamble.

The New York Times

Clear Channel has taken what was once a struggling business full of poorly funded stations, broken equipment, offbeat characters and scant profits–and turned it into a beacon of predictability.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

At first, the publishers worried about the scant profit margin — probably three to five cents per book.

The New Yorker

Google would be forgoing Gmail's scant profit, but its actions would be consistent with the idea that the net belongs to its users throughout the world.

The Guardian - Tech

However, the adjustment scheme of profit between KEPCO and Gencos left scant profit for generators.

Energy Policy

Spoiler number one alert !! — Most companies in mobile make a scant profit, if any at all, on hardware.

TechCrunch

And by adding Compaq, Hewlett-Packard was increasing its stake in the perilous personal computer market, where competition is fierce and profits scant.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing a company's financial performance, use "scant profits" to emphasize that the earnings are significantly lower than expected or desired. This adds a critical tone to the analysis.

Common error

Avoid using "scant profits" when simply stating that profits exist but are not high. "Scant" implies a noticeable deficiency or lack, not just a moderate level of profitability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "scant profits" functions as an adjective-noun combination, where the adjective "scant" modifies the noun "profits". It describes a situation where the profits are minimal or insufficient. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

40%

Science

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "scant profits" is a grammatically sound and usable expression to describe minimal or inadequate earnings. According to Ludwig AI, it is suitable for formal writing and is commonly used in news and business contexts. While alternatives like "meager earnings" or "thin margins" exist, "scant profits" carries a connotation of disappointment or concern. It's important to use the phrase when intending to highlight a notable deficiency in profitability, as overusing it in place of phrases like "low profits" can be misleading.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

meager earnings

Replaces "profits" with "earnings" to focus on the income earned, and "scant" with "meager" emphasizing the small amount.

minimal gains

Substitutes "profits" with "gains", highlighting the increase achieved, while using "minimal" instead of "scant" to stress the low level of improvement.

thin margins

Changes the focus to "margins", referring to the difference between revenue and costs, and uses "thin" instead of "scant" to indicate a narrow gap.

limited profitability

Replaces the adjective-noun structure with a noun phrase, using "limited" to convey the restricted nature of the profitability.

poor financial returns

Shifts the expression to "financial returns", stressing the aspect of investment results, with "poor" used in place of "scant" to suggest unsatisfactory outcomes.

low revenue

Focuses on the income, instead of the profit itself.

reduced income

Highlights the decreased amount of income, changing the focus from profit to overall earnings.

deficient earnings

Implies a lack or shortage of earnings, suggesting something is missing or insufficient.

inadequate income

Highlights that the revenue is insufficient to fulfill business needs.

unsatisfactory financial outcome

Broadens the scope to overall financial outcomes, suggesting the final results were not as expected or desired.

FAQs

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

You can use "scant profits" to describe a situation where a business or venture generates very little profit. For example: "Despite high sales volume, the company reported "scant profits" due to rising production costs."

What are some alternatives to "scant profits"?

Alternatives include "meager earnings", "minimal gains", or "thin margins". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

What is the difference between "scant profits" and "low profits"?

"Low profits" simply indicates that the profits are not high. "Scant profits", on the other hand, suggests that the profits are so minimal that they are almost insufficient or disappointing. "Scant" carries a stronger negative connotation.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use the phrase "scant profits"?

The phrase "scant profits" is appropriate in formal contexts like financial reports, business analysis, and news articles discussing economic performance. It's less common in casual conversation.