According to a 2006 Halogen Guides Jets survey, not one company boasted of sustained bottom-line profitability.

For the current year, Amazon picked a new goal that moves it closer to sustained profitability but nonetheless is not a conventional profit.

Mr. Barnette said his major priority was to return the company to sustained profitability.

But he still must put a plan in place that will lead the unit to sustained profitability.

Lewis's turnaround expertise will be applied to rehabilitating under-performing organizations and saving troubled companies, by returning them to sustained profitability.

The industry considers 68 percent the minimum for sustained profitability.

Our sustained profitability has put us in a good position to accomplish our next goal of responsible growth," Pandit said.

While Halo 2's success put Microsoft's games unit in the black for one quarter last year, the Xbox effort has yet to provide sustained profitability.

That, combined with increasing efficiency, has moved Amazon within striking distance of sustained profitability.

Mr. Hammer declined to predict when Meritor would return to sustained profitability but said that "we are flirting" with the break-even level.