Investment has not been held back by low profitability: Pre- and post-tax profit rates in the nonfinancial corporate sector, actual compared with 1979–2007 average, 1979–2016
| Date | Pre-tax | Post-tax | Pre-tax, 1979–2007 avg | Post-tax, 1979–2007 avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979Q1 | 9.7% | 6.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1979Q2 | 9.3% | 6.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1979Q3 | 8.8% | 6.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1979Q4 | 8.5% | 5.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1980Q1 | 8.2% | 5.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1980Q2 | 7.2% | 5.2% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1980Q3 | 7.5% | 5.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1980Q4 | 8.2% | 5.8% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1981Q1 | 8.5% | 6.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1981Q2 | 8.5% | 6.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1981Q3 | 9.1% | 6.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1981Q4 | 8.6% | 6.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1982Q1 | 8.0% | 6.5% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1982Q2 | 8.3% | 6.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1982Q3 | 8.1% | 6.6% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1982Q4 | 7.6% | 6.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1983Q1 | 8.0% | 6.6% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1983Q2 | 8.6% | 6.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1983Q3 | 9.1% | 7.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1983Q4 | 9.5% | 7.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1984Q1 | 10.4% | 8.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1984Q2 | 10.4% | 8.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1984Q3 | 10.2% | 8.2% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1984Q4 | 10.3% | 8.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1985Q1 | 10.1% | 8.2% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1985Q2 | 10.0% | 8.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1985Q3 | 10.5% | 8.5% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1985Q4 | 9.8% | 8.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1986Q1 | 9.7% | 7.8% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1986Q2 | 9.2% | 7.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1986Q3 | 9.0% | 7.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1986Q4 | 9.0% | 6.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1987Q1 | 9.2% | 7.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1987Q2 | 9.6% | 7.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1987Q3 | 10.0% | 7.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1987Q4 | 9.9% | 7.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1988Q1 | 10.2% | 7.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1988Q2 | 10.2% | 7.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1988Q3 | 10.2% | 7.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1988Q4 | 10.7% | 8.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1989Q1 | 10.1% | 7.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1989Q2 | 9.9% | 7.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1989Q3 | 9.8% | 7.8% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1989Q4 | 9.4% | 7.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1990Q1 | 9.5% | 7.5% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1990Q2 | 9.7% | 7.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1990Q3 | 9.2% | 7.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1990Q4 | 9.0% | 7.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1991Q1 | 9.3% | 7.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1991Q2 | 9.1% | 7.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1991Q3 | 8.9% | 7.2% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1991Q4 | 8.6% | 6.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1992Q1 | 8.6% | 6.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1992Q2 | 8.6% | 6.8% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1992Q3 | 8.3% | 6.5% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1992Q4 | 8.7% | 6.8% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1993Q1 | 8.4% | 6.6% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1993Q2 | 8.8% | 6.8% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1993Q3 | 8.8% | 7.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1993Q4 | 9.4% | 7.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1994Q1 | 9.6% | 7.5% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1994Q2 | 9.9% | 7.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1994Q3 | 10.1% | 7.8% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1994Q4 | 10.5% | 8.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1995Q1 | 10.1% | 7.8% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1995Q2 | 10.1% | 7.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1995Q3 | 10.6% | 8.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1995Q4 | 10.5% | 8.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1996Q1 | 10.8% | 8.5% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1996Q2 | 10.8% | 8.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1996Q3 | 10.7% | 8.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1996Q4 | 10.9% | 8.5% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1997Q1 | 11.0% | 8.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1997Q2 | 11.0% | 8.6% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1997Q3 | 11.4% | 8.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1997Q4 | 11.0% | 8.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1998Q1 | 10.2% | 8.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1998Q2 | 10.2% | 8.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1998Q3 | 10.4% | 8.2% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1998Q4 | 10.1% | 8.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1999Q1 | 10.2% | 7.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1999Q2 | 10.1% | 7.8% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1999Q3 | 9.6% | 7.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 1999Q4 | 9.4% | 7.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2000Q1 | 9.2% | 7.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2000Q2 | 9.2% | 7.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2000Q3 | 8.9% | 6.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2000Q4 | 8.3% | 6.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2001Q1 | 7.4% | 5.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2001Q2 | 8.1% | 6.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2001Q3 | 8.1% | 6.8% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2001Q4 | 7.3% | 6.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2002Q1 | 8.1% | 7.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2002Q2 | 8.1% | 7.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2002Q3 | 8.1% | 7.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2002Q4 | 8.6% | 7.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2003Q1 | 8.6% | 7.2% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2003Q2 | 8.8% | 7.5% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2003Q3 | 9.0% | 7.6% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2003Q4 | 9.0% | 7.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2004Q1 | 9.5% | 7.8% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2004Q2 | 9.7% | 7.8% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2004Q3 | 9.9% | 7.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2004Q4 | 9.6% | 7.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2005Q1 | 10.1% | 7.6% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2005Q2 | 10.5% | 8.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2005Q3 | 9.9% | 7.6% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2005Q4 | 10.9% | 8.2% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2006Q1 | 10.9% | 8.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2006Q2 | 10.8% | 8.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2006Q3 | 11.4% | 8.6% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2006Q4 | 10.7% | 8.2% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2007Q1 | 10.4% | 7.8% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2007Q2 | 10.6% | 8.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2007Q3 | 9.6% | 7.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2007Q4 | 9.5% | 7.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2008Q1 | 9.0% | 7.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2008Q2 | 9.1% | 7.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2008Q3 | 10.2% | 8.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2008Q4 | 9.1% | 7.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2009Q1 | 8.6% | 7.2% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2009Q2 | 8.2% | 6.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2009Q3 | 8.4% | 7.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2009Q4 | 9.4% | 7.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2010Q1 | 10.1% | 8.5% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2010Q2 | 10.3% | 8.6% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2010Q3 | 11.0% | 9.2% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2010Q4 | 10.6% | 8.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2011Q1 | 9.8% | 8.2% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2011Q2 | 10.7% | 9.0% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2011Q3 | 10.9% | 9.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2011Q4 | 11.1% | 9.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2012Q1 | 11.2% | 9.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2012Q2 | 11.3% | 9.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2012Q3 | 11.0% | 9.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2012Q4 | 11.1% | 9.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2013Q1 | 11.4% | 9.4% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2013Q2 | 11.3% | 9.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2013Q3 | 11.1% | 9.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2013Q4 | 11.1% | 9.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2014Q1 | 10.6% | 8.6% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2014Q2 | 11.4% | 9.2% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2014Q3 | 11.9% | 9.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2014Q4 | 11.8% | 9.7% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2015Q1 | 11.5% | 9.3% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2015Q2 | 11.1% | 8.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2015Q3 | 11.1% | 9.1% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2015Q4 | 10.7% | 8.9% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2016Q1 | 10.7% | 8.6% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2016Q2 | 10.3% | 8.2% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
| 2016Q3 | 10.8% | 8.6% | 9.466% | 7.400% |
Note: Profit rate is calculated by dividing net operating surplus by the current stock of fixed assets for the nonfinancial corporate sector.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA), Table 1.14, and BEA Fixed Assets, Table 4.1