Profit is not directly linked to shareholder value. E.g. an expanding business that is operating at a loss could end up benefiting the shareholders (through valuation) if there is an expectation of future profitability.
>> their only goal is maximizing shareholder value in the short term
and mentioned Amazon making a loss. You're right that Amazon could credibly be described as "maximizing shareholder value", but I think the question of whether they maximize shareholder value in the short term is more subtle.
You could do some jiujitsu and say "long-term value maximization is equivalent to short-term value maximization under reasonable assumptions", but I think the discussion upthread was about a more prosaic concept of short-termism that is related to profits. They wouldn't have qualified their statement with "in the short term" if they'd meant "expected NPV" :-).
