pay off
MEANING: make a profit, be successful
EXAMPLE:
The furniture manufacturer was unable to pay off their loan and had to go out of business.


piece/slice of the action
MEANING: a share in the activity or the profits of something
EXAMPLE:
The inventor wanted a large piece of the action of the profits from the new computer that he had invented.


red ink
MEANING: debt (red ink on a financial statement)
EXAMPLE:
The automobile company has been drowning in red ink since the US dollar began to rise.


run short
MEANING: not have enough in quantity
EXAMPLE:
They ran short of gasoline at the gas station and had to close early.


saddled with debt
MEANING: burdened with debt
EXAMPLE:
Our sister company is saddled with a great amount of debt and should be sold as soon as possible.


sell like hotcakes
MEANING: sell very quickly
EXAMPLE:
The children's toys were selling like hotcakes at the end of the year.


sell out
MEANING: sell all of a product
EXAMPLE:
Every year at least one company sells out all of their products which frustrates many customers.


strike while the iron is hot
MEANING: take advantage of an opportunity
EXAMPLE:
We decided to strike while the iron was hot and began to market the product around the time of the Olympics.


sweetheart deal
MEANING: a deal made between friends so that both may make a big profit
EXAMPLE:
We were able to make a sweetheart deal with our landlord and got the rent greatly reduced