Q: In your answer to Joe this morning about analyst ratings, you are less than positive on the process. This does not surprise me, but it raises the question about analyst predictions for a company's quarterly reports. The market seems to place great stock in the consensus estimates (and this seems to be getting worse in the last couple years), instantly slamming a company that misses on EPS or whatever metric. Are the analysts that make up "the consensus" the same analysts you were talking about? Why does the market think they should correct, particularly when (I assume) they don't have all the information available to the Board members; and, as you mention there are usually some ulterior motives? Just curious.
Thank-you
Thank-you