During the final quarter of 2012 U.S. corporate profits after tax reached a post World War II record of an annualized $1.773 trillion. This was not the only record achieved. U.S. corporate profits after tax relative to the total size of the U.S. economy (GDP) was 11.2%. This ratio has been well above average for nearly a decade, with one exception, the last quarter of 2008 during the middle of the Great Recession.

Looking at only the nonfinancial corporate business profits after tax, the ratio was 6.0%. While it is currently above the 65 year average , it is not as high as the first quarter of 2006 or from 1947 to 1950.

Data Source: U.S. Department of Commerce: Bureau of Economic Analysis