system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How do wall street firms (like the one Mitt Romney ran) make money acquiring businesses and shutting down the entire operation?

I don't understand how financial firms purchase businesses for the sole purpose of shutting them down for profit... How are they making money off this? Isn't this unethical?

(edit: I know Romney's firm was likely not literally on wall street but the concentration of where it's happening is on wall street and it's always financial/private equity firms)
gpt
Think of it like a car. Maybe you have a car that's only worth $1,000USD.  You sell the engine for $500USD sell the transmission for $300USD sell the wheels for $50USD each,  you've already made back your money and now anything else you sell is money in your pocket.