Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Gold/Mining/Energy : Strictly: Drilling and oil-field services -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Carpenter who wrote (10906)	2/6/1998 9:06:00 PM
From: Chuzzlewit	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 95453

John, both Zacks and First Call are compilations of analysts' estimates, and neither is definitive. Because they don't include the same financial houses, mean estimates will differ. In any case, many of the numbers generated by the analysts actually come from the companies through "guidance". They do this in an attempt to avoid disappointing shareholders and triggering lawsuits. Morgan Stanley periodically studies the accuracy of the earnings estimates and found last quarter (if memory serves me correctly) that approximately 80% of the estimates for the S&P500 companies were incorrect, with about 60% too low. Since nobody places any credence in those estimates, there is now the phenomenon of the "whisper" number. Regards, Paul