But margins dropped to 18 percent in Apple's last quarter.

His margin of victory dropped but he still returned to office with a big majority.

But in some weeks this summer, he said, the margin will drop to 12 percent, and the average will be about 16 percent.

For some independent "unbranded" gas stations, the margin dropped to nearly zero.

In 1989, the margin narrowed, as the rate of women given probation dropped to the men's 9 percent rate.

Operating margins have dropped to 5.1 percent from 8.7 percent a year ago.

Some industry analysts predict that operating margins for the industry as a whole could drop sharply.

His margin of victory dropped as he only took 42% of the vote.

At $28 a pair, the gross margin drops to a still-enviable figure of about 47 percent.

But several analysts expect the margins to drop back to about 22 percent in the fourth quarter.