[CaseFlatline]

Slightly misleading on the source of the profits. It's important to read this section of the article:

"But the company's real profits are derived from a lesser-known side of the business: property development."

and

"Here's how it works: MTR enjoys a special relationship with the Hong Kong government, which is also its majority shareholder. The government provides land -- at no cost -- for use by the train operator, and MTR is then allowed to develop the areas above and around its stations."

So the government loans out land (which is crazy expensive in hong kong) for free and the MTR gets to keep the profits for leasing out that land via malls, etc.