Intel: New products must deliver 50% gross profit to get the green light

I think this is a good threshold for a startup or lean small business, but perhaps a bit low for Intel? A 50% gross profit is basically like a 100% markup: the cost to make the product is doubled to get the sale price.

But that 50% gross profit remaining has to cover all of operations overhead--which includes G&A and R&D--and still leave a net profit > 5% for shareholders. Note that software products usually deliver in excess of 80% gross profit; and hardware products are 50% or more.

This is not encouraging. Gross profit is the wrong metric to be "laser focused" on for long-term survival.

Sounds like a corporate suicide pact to me.