Chaney cited an instance last November when he downgraded Analog Devices after a stellar conference call because he didn't believe the company's sanguine outlook. Months later, he was proved right. As companies increasingly turn to the Internet to broadcast calls with analysts, information once available only to insiders and well-placed analysts is flowing to everyone. Most of the time, analysts are drawing their conclusions based on public information available to everyone. Factoring in broader economic data, such as this year's sudden downturn in online advertising and drop-off in consumer PC demand, makes things trickier.
Large brokerages have research departments that look into macroeconomic factors.
But as the spate of recent earnings misses suggests, figuring out how those will affect particular segments isn't always easy. This piece originally ran in the San Jose Business Journal, a sister newspaper. Earliest info on new businesses, homeowners Sales Prospecting Center Real info, real opportunities. HireSacramento Fill an opening, find a job Legal Center Hundreds of business legal tools Office Products Special deals on equipment, supplies. Classifieds Search for business services, real estate and career opportunities.