> Why are we all whispering about how profitable all this is?

Nobody is whispering about anything. Everyone is loudly assuming what's convenient for their thesis. Even if you have access to the books, the accounting isn't straightforward–there are yet insufficient data for a meaningful answer.

> It is the absolute last thing these firms would keep secret

If you find an optimisation strategy that you don't think your competitors have, you absolutely keep your margins secret for as long as possible. Knowing something is possible is the first step to making it so.

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