PLoS’ 2010 Progress Update — Pondering the Implications of a Watershed Year

"How PLoS arrived at this point [where revenues exceed expenses] bears examination, for it reveals both strengths and weaknesses of the organization and the model they’ve adopted....Now that PLoS has a sustainable model, it will be interesting to see how the organization uses these funds, what growth initiatives they undertake, how the new leadership chooses between mission and margin, and how funding agencies view their support in light of breakeven. Allowing for grant support in PLoS’ total returns, you calculate a return for PLoS in 2010 of 21.8%. Now we have another interesting conundrum — here are returns high enough to get your attention, at least on a percentage basis....It will be interesting to see what happens now that the underdog is an underdog no more...."