And the fees are charged not on current assets, but on average assets over the prior three years.

Morgan's return was only 9 cents a share in 1987, a stark contrast to 1986, when it earned $1.18 on each $100 of average assets.

And the industry's profitability, as measured by return on average assets, dropped 16 basis points, or hundredths of a percentage point, to 0.77 percent.

The prospectus offers an annual return of 15 percent on the company's average net fixed assets.

This is the average American's most important asset.

The figures were based on average assets during the year of $50.5 billion, according to Lipper.

Financial institutions must have average annual assets of at least US$160,000,000.

The credit union remained stronger than ever with a return on average assets of 50 basis points before insurance premiums.

As interest rates rose and losses mounted, the withdrawals from mortgage funds came to 28 percent of average assets.

Return on average assets excluding the $3.4 million impairment charge was 0.86% for the quarter ended June 30, 2008.