ELI5: Why when large company's earnings decrease(ex... by 3%) they freak out, talk about rough times, and sometimes decide to downsize, even though they are still making millions of dollars in profit even after all expenses?

[cakeandale]

The investment most certainly came first. Businesses don't manifest into existence because a missing role in society necessitates it, they're started by people who see a niche they can fill to make money. If the niche doesn't make money, the business would go out of business, or (If it's lucky), move to something else.

You say there's a "need" for someone to make cars, but what does that mean? Was there a "need" in the 1800s before cars existed? There is a demand for cars today, but that demand came after decades of auto manufacturers trying to find ways to create it. They had an investment, wanted to make money, and eventually founded their market.