I don’t understand how these large companies “lose” money yet keep on going. If I have $100 at the beginning of the year and I’m $10 in the hole at the end of they year, how do I keep my doors open? These big builders and car makers have been posting losses for years.
In the case of The NY Times, they’ve been liquidating assets to keep the doors open. Selling TV stations, other newspapers, etc.
In 1997, the book value was $1.73 billion. Today, it is $593 million.
“Book value” is the value at which an asset is carried on a balance sheet. It is the total value of the company’s assets that shareholders would theoretically receive if a company were liquidated.