Stuff I don't know

[Undertoad]

What's additionally confusing - and l123 correct me on this - is that the companies themselves have a take on the number, and can send their stock down before the forecast by just saying something like "uh... that's a pretty high number... uh... the bosses' auntie says we could have trouble in our international markets...."

My ex was a very strong accountant and would talk about the pressure to "make" the number, where the companies push things around the books in order to have a bigger earnings number. Fuckin' accountants.

[lookout123]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

What's additionally confusing - and l123 correct me on this - is that the companies themselves have a take on the number, and can send their stock down before the forecast by just saying something like "uh... that's a pretty high number... uh... the bosses' auntie says we could have trouble in our international markets...."

My ex was a very strong accountant and would talk about the pressure to "make" the number, where the companies push things around the books in order to have a bigger earnings number. Fuckin' accountants.

Yeah, that happens way too much, that's why I should have stressed the "in theory part". The truth is that companies frequently downgrade their own forecasts simply so they can beat them with the real numbers. Straight shooting has gone away as a consequence of the rise of the trader (rather than investor). Traders are looking for action and are simply buying and selling numbers rather than companies they believe in. Because of that the numbers games are constantly being pushed farther and farther. or is it further and further? hmmm.