Dropping print in favour of digital (they had no choice due to Swaggart law case) has in fact turned a lucrative business into one with zero income.
The problem wasn't the court case, it was the Watchtower's reaction to it. They could have kept doing what they were doing and paid the taxes (if I remember right it involved state sales tax). I believe they didn't go there because it would have made the sales numbers public information, and as always, they didn't want anybody to know what they were doing.
Had they chosen the other course, I think they could still have a reasonable income from print sales.