Their goal isn't to turn a profit. Almost all of the profits that they do get go to the federal government. The member banks earn a 6% dividend on the amount o

Their goal isn't to turn a profit. Almost all of the profits that they do get go to the federal government. The member banks earn a 6% dividend on the amount of stock that they own in their regional Federal Reserve Bank. That amount of stock is determined by the member bank's balance sheet. They have to invest that money in the Federal Reserve.