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jb_brianttoday at 6:55 AM2 repliesview on HN

I wonder if profitable means that investment must be recouped or just if your operational expenses must be compensated by your earnings.

Anthropic is becoming "profitable" while burning a series H of 69 bns usd. Does it count as profitable?

I'm curious if someone well versed in finance can answer, because from my uneducated perspective, it's not profitable to burn billions in order to make a billion.

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/20/anthropic-revenue-explosive-...


Replies

JumpCrisscrosstoday at 6:58 AM

> wonder if profitable means that investment must be recouped or just if your operational expenses must be compensated by your earnings

S&P requires profitability (i.e. net income) according to GAAP. That definition incorporates both ROA and operating income.

awestroketoday at 6:59 AM

EBITDA is typically used to evaluate profitability.

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