In corporate finance, operating margin is the ultimate arbiter of enterprise health. Consider the S&P 500, which currently boasts a blended Q1 2026 net profit margin of roughly 13.2% . If a supply chain shock caused that aggregate margin to suddenly compress by 81%—dropping from 13.2% to roughly 2.5%—while top-line revenue remained flat, equity markets would immediately re-evaluate.We reprice companies instantly when the math changes. We need to apply that same rigor to the American household.The primary ex ...