Cash cows are products with a high share of a market with low overall growth. They have typically established products with a large customer base. Because the market is not growing, there is little opportunity to increase sales, so companies focus on maintaining market share. Cash cows generate a lot of income, which can fund other business activities, such as new product development. The Boston Matrix is a tool that can assess the financial performance of different product lines. It categorizes products into four quadrants: stars, question marks, dogs, and cash cows.
- Stars are products that have high market share and high growth.
- Question marks are products that have low market share but high growth.
- Dogs are products that have low market share and low growth.
- Cash cows are products that have a high market share but low growth.
The Boston Matrix is a valuable tool for product development because it helps companies prioritize their resources. For example, stars and question marks represent potential growth opportunities. In contrast, dogs and cash cows represent areas where you should focus resources on maintenance rather than expansion.