Morgan Stanley Asks "Do Corporate Earnings Actually Matter?"

Morgan Stanley’s (Eccentric) Equity Strategist Adam Parker looks at the world through a traditional value investors view point and wonders how markets are determining price levels. With nearly three quarters of the market capitalization reporting second quarter earnings, he notes the positive trends but then questions a key relative value point. His conclusion is in part seen in the headline of the August 1 report titled “Do Corporate Earnings Actually Matter?” (nothing to do with the Federal Reserve). This leads Parker and his team on a circuitous route to determine sector exposure recommendations.

Increasingly corporates are giving weaker forward guidance

Earnings have always been a key driver of stock...