It's increased profits about seven percent over last quarter.
Such crude attempts as were made to prevent rates from being excessive concerned themselves with profits, and were designed to confiscate for the state treasury any earnings beyond a certain prescribed dividend.
Some stocks reliably pay dividends, portions of a corporation's profits paid out in cash to its shareholders.
In normal cases profits were divided according to contract, usually equally.
In many cases the state or the ruler has sought to obtain a share in the profits of mining, or even to work mines for the individual profit of the ruler or of the state.
