White Elephant How High Cost Assets Impact Investment Portfolios

2867 reads · Last updated: December 19, 2025

A white elephant is something whose cost of upkeep is not in line with its usefulness or value. From an investmentperspective, the term refers to an asset, property, or business that is so expensive to operate and maintain that it is extremely difficult to actually make a profit from it.White elephants also tend to be illiquid assets, meaning they cannot be easily or quickly exchanged or sold for cash without the seller experiencing a significant loss.

Suggested for You

Refresh

An intrapreneur is an employee who is tasked with developing an innovative idea or project within a company. The intrapreneur may not face the outsized risks or reap the outsized rewards of an entrepreneur; however, the intrapreneur has access to the resources and capabilities of an established company.

Intrapreneur

An intrapreneur is an employee who is tasked with developing an innovative idea or project within a company. The intrapreneur may not face the outsized risks or reap the outsized rewards of an entrepreneur; however, the intrapreneur has access to the resources and capabilities of an established company.

Ultimogeniture, also known as postremogeniture or junior right, is a system of inheritance whereby the youngest son gains possession of his deceased father's estate. Many rural areas of medieval England used this system, as well as parts of France. It often applied to farmland, but sometimes included other types of land in addition to personal property.This system is very rare today. On the contrary, primogeniture, which means inheritance by a firstborn son, is slightly more common today. Historically, primogeniture has been the most prevalent inheritance system.

Ultimogeniture

Ultimogeniture, also known as postremogeniture or junior right, is a system of inheritance whereby the youngest son gains possession of his deceased father's estate. Many rural areas of medieval England used this system, as well as parts of France. It often applied to farmland, but sometimes included other types of land in addition to personal property.This system is very rare today. On the contrary, primogeniture, which means inheritance by a firstborn son, is slightly more common today. Historically, primogeniture has been the most prevalent inheritance system.

Trade Liberalization

Trade liberalization is the removal or reduction of restrictions or barriers on the free exchange of goods between nations. These barriers include tariffs, such as duties and surcharges, and nontariff barriers, such as licensing rules and quotas. Economists often view the easing or eradication of these restrictions as steps to promote free trade.

Trade Liberalization

Trade liberalization is the removal or reduction of restrictions or barriers on the free exchange of goods between nations. These barriers include tariffs, such as duties and surcharges, and nontariff barriers, such as licensing rules and quotas. Economists often view the easing or eradication of these restrictions as steps to promote free trade.

Anchoring And Adjustment

Anchoring and adjustment is a phenomenon wherein an individual bases their initial ideas and responses on one point of information and makes changes driven by that starting point. The anchoring and adjustment heuristic describes cases in which a person uses a specific target number or value as a starting point, known as an anchor, and subsequently adjusts that information until an acceptable value is reached over time. Often, those adjustments are inadequate and remain too close to the original anchor, which is a problem when the anchor is very different from the true answer.

Anchoring And Adjustment

Anchoring and adjustment is a phenomenon wherein an individual bases their initial ideas and responses on one point of information and makes changes driven by that starting point. The anchoring and adjustment heuristic describes cases in which a person uses a specific target number or value as a starting point, known as an anchor, and subsequently adjusts that information until an acceptable value is reached over time. Often, those adjustments are inadequate and remain too close to the original anchor, which is a problem when the anchor is very different from the true answer.

Predatory Pricing

Predatory pricing is the illegal business practice of setting prices for a product unrealistically low in order to eliminate the competition.Predatory pricing violates antitrust laws, as its goal is to create a monopoly. However, the practice can be difficult to prosecute. Defendants may argue that lowering prices is a normal business practice in a competitive market rather than a deliberate attempt to undermine the marketplace.Predatory pricing doesn’t always work, since the predator is losing revenue as well as the competition. The predator must raise prices eventually. At that point, new competitors will emerge.

Predatory Pricing

Predatory pricing is the illegal business practice of setting prices for a product unrealistically low in order to eliminate the competition.Predatory pricing violates antitrust laws, as its goal is to create a monopoly. However, the practice can be difficult to prosecute. Defendants may argue that lowering prices is a normal business practice in a competitive market rather than a deliberate attempt to undermine the marketplace.Predatory pricing doesn’t always work, since the predator is losing revenue as well as the competition. The predator must raise prices eventually. At that point, new competitors will emerge.

Green Monday is one of the retail industry's busiest shopping days, It represents the day many shoppers rush to purchase last-minute holiday gifts and take advantage of deals. Green Monday occurs on the second Monday of every December. The term Green Monday was reportedly created eBay (EBAY) as a way to represent the rush of last-minute online shoppers along with "the value and savings" the site offers its users.

Green Monday

Green Monday is one of the retail industry's busiest shopping days, It represents the day many shoppers rush to purchase last-minute holiday gifts and take advantage of deals. Green Monday occurs on the second Monday of every December. The term Green Monday was reportedly created eBay (EBAY) as a way to represent the rush of last-minute online shoppers along with "the value and savings" the site offers its users.