The problem isn't inflation. It's prices. What goes up may not come down

Post by wredue » Wed, Nov 08, 2023, 7:06 PM UTC

adventured wrote: post #49

darth_avocado wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a reason corporate price gouging takes place when you see inflation narrative in the media. This is the only opportunity where people accept an increase in prices that sticks around. You raise the prices of eggs on a normal day, people will stop buying your eggs. You raise the prices of eggs when everyone is talking about inflation, people will accept it and focus on everything else.

Can you provide several strong examples of corporate price gouging showing up in public financial results (where we can see some evidence of it, instead of just empty claims)? I've yet to see any proof of it. Margins haven't skyrocketed on food products for example. Kroger still has horrible retailer margins. Prices at CVS and Walgreens have soared, their business margins are still horrible in retail. Kroger's gross…

Post by wredue » Wed, Nov 08, 2023, 7:17 PM UTC

HDThoreaun wrote: post #72

wredue wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>why didn’t their profitability soar Because their stock buybacks and other executive compensation did. This is public information. It’s really weird how we also publicly acknowledge the ability of companies to hide profits, but when it comes to actually discussing corporate greed, in comes the bootlickers to drop their “wHY AReNT PrOFiTS SoArINg ThEN?!?” We can see where as much as they want us to see is going: a co…

Buybacks count as profit.

Post by bryanlarsen » Wed, Nov 08, 2023, 8:01 PM UTC

wredue wrote: post #73

HDThoreaun wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buybacks count as profit.

Fine. Then Walmarts “consultant fees” for a one person company that happens to share an office space with 5000 other companies in a tax sheltering country most likely grew substantially. All that really matters here is that we stop pretending that Walmart doesn’t have an army of lawyers and accountants making the public books appear however they want us to see them.

Post by vondur » Wed, Nov 08, 2023, 8:28 PM UTC

wredue wrote: post #71

adventured wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you provide several strong examples of corporate price gouging showing up in public financial results (where we can see some evidence of it, instead of just empty claims)? I've yet to see any proof of it. Margins haven't skyrocketed on food products for example. Kroger still has horrible retailer margins. Prices at CVS and Walgreens have soared, their business margins are still horrible in retail. Kroger's gross…

>why didn’t their profitability soar Because their stock buybacks and other executive compensation did. This is public information. It’s really weird how we also publicly acknowledge the ability of companies to hide profits, but when it comes to actually discussing corporate greed, in comes the bootlickers to drop their “wHY AReNT PrOFiTS SoArINg ThEN?!?” We can see where as much as they want us to see is going: a co…

Post by freeone3000 » Wed, Nov 08, 2023, 9:22 PM UTC

nathanaldensr wrote: post #76

blitzar wrote: post #6

That people do not understand very basic concepts is scary. > The root of what’s going on here can feel obvious: blame inflation, which picked up in mid-2021 and throughout 2022. But that isn’t really the issue anymore, at least not at the current rate, because inflation is coming down. The actual problem here is prices. Inflation going from 10% to 5% is "inflation is coming down" - but it means that prices are risin…

Exactly. The argument comes down to "Yeah, but the exponential rise isn't quite as bad as before; therefore, the problem is going away!" No, it isn't. People are poorer, savings are being eroded, and basic life necessities are skyrocketing in price. Additionally, the government continues to deficit spend as if nothing is happening.