by ButterflyEffect

Most corporations have enthusiastically selected option 3. In 2021, "[c]orporate pretax profits surged 25% year over year to $2.81 trillion." This was "the largest annual increase since 1976." After-tax profits increased even more dramatically, rising "37% year over year, more than any other time since the Fed began tracking profits in 1948." Prior to 2021, corporate profits have reached 13% in a quarter once in 70 years. In 2021, corporate profits exceeded 13% in every quarter.