When a product grows into a cash cow, firms will milk it and look for ways to extend the product’s life cycle - add new features or technology, target other segments, etc.
Whereas a product that is a dog either hasn’t grown or it’s matured and sales decline.
Regardless of the economy, firms cut losses and dump dogs all the time just as they will sell a profitable product because it may no longer fit in with the firm’s overall strategy.
So, we speculate because of the secrets that surround companies.
For example, there is new in-bay technology coming around the bend that I believe is going to make many current in-bay systems obsolete.
So, a company such as Sonny’s, first and foremost a conveyor maker, would evaluate the position of its in-bay product in value chain structure and value network.
If the company can’t figure a way to sustain comparative advantage by means of cost, differentiate or niche strategy, it may decide to exit.