The company added that gross margin for the December 2011 quarter will decline about 9 points sequentially, due to the lower revenue, lower factory utilization, and inventory reserves.

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More, Strassel notes another Bain steel factory investment, Steel Dynamics, has increased revenue 25 times since its 1996 IPO and now employs 6, 000 workers.

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The destruction of personal belongings, plus indirect losses incurred by such things as factory closures, higher insurance premiums and reduced tourist revenue, amounts to perhaps three times as much.

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Say what you will about Charlie Sheen, but the actor-turned-scandal-factory is sure leaving no stone unturned in search of sources of revenue.

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That was in line with the 38 percent revenue surge it had during the November-December season, following the factory fire.

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Higher margins combined with more consistent revenue requires delivering smart services and products to clients, not just running a factory more efficiently.

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