I would also suggest that these companies are not, "generate a consistent profit at the new demand level" as you suggested. My whole point about the lastest reporting season is that they have excess cash yet they have not generated or provided a new level of profit based on their products, the 'profit' is based on cost cutting, which is very different. If sales had stayed equal or increased then you would be right, however they have declined - possibly not in line with cost cutting, hence cutting outweights sales and sales - as a headline figure look better than what they are.
I completely agree. Great statement, however are these 'profit reports' really PROFIT's, or just excess cash from cutting/scaling back so much, and not driven by real sales. Thats my whole point in starting this thread, I cant see - with much of the market - how this is a sales driven profit, its a cost cutting driven profit?!?!