Ned Riley Earnings Quotations

I believe the group is going to be able to grow at least 8 to 10 percent in the future and I think the S&P earnings are going to slow down to maybe 7 or 8 percent, ... So this group could have actually a premium growth rate and yet a discount to the market that's, at least, 50 percent, if not lower.

The rally in the first two weeks of January was based on expectations that we would have a decent reporting period. Largely, that's been true, with many earnings reports meeting or topping estimates. But unfortunately, the commentary about the future has been a huge downer. That's one of the things holding investors back now.

People have been using a rotational strategy -- but eventually you'll have a peaceful coexistence between the two because the 'old economy' stocks will have very good relative earnings that people can attach to,

I think people are anxiously awaiting the earnings reports, and what these companies have to say about demand for their business in the second half of the year.

We're just beginning to see justification for the market's rise, with the earnings that have already come in. The next test comes tomorrow, with the banks. People will be looking to see if loan demand in the economy has picked up.

We're looking at a company that's going to grow, I think, at about 14 percent over the next several years with, I might add, a lot of predictability and I think a lot of visibility and a high level of confidence, ... So with Merck at 31 times earnings now and down about 20 percent from its high, I think we're getting into an opportunity where it's a lot better than trying to buy a cyclical that's selling at 27 times earnings and where the visibility is a lot more questionable.

The worst point of the tech cycle is probably upon us now, but the actual results and the commentary on earnings are no surprise. There's a selling exhaustion in regards to tech stocks. People are trying to focus on the road ahead. Looking forward; there is a lot of upside potential.

These companies are actually growing, ... The whole group is growing somewhere between 10 and 13 percent relative earnings growth and the price-earnings ratios are about 13 to 14 times. It's one of the few groups out there that are actually selling at their growth rate in terms of price-earnings ratio. And, right now, it's strange -- people don't like the group. It isn't a hot group.

Technology needs to be the leader on the way up, because it was the leader on the way down. Even though the earnings reports are miserable, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. That's what investors are looking at right now.

Any (profit) short-fall in that growth rate at 110 times earnings means there's some risk in these stocks.

This is an opportunity, ... You can find some health care stocks with price- earnings ratios, ironically, more cheap than they are in the cyclical area. The health care group of stocks that I like sell about 28 times earnings and have growth rates of 14 percent.

It's been the good, the bad and the ugly. I think this period is still going to be ugly for earnings but the market has discounted it.

It's been the good, the bad and the ugly, ... I think this period is still going to be ugly for earnings but the market has discounted it.

It should be evident by now that the rest of the earnings are going to come in at the same sort of magnitude over estimates. The focus is going to shift.

I like Merck, in particular, because here's a stock that's retreated dramatically from its high, but still has its earnings growth-rate intact, ... This company, I think, can grow about 13 to 15 percent. And its price-to-earnings ratio now is getting down to a level that I think is very reasonable relative to its long-term growth rate.

The Dow seems to be lifted because people are trying to resurrect the old growth stocks and giving them another try as a safe place to hide. The perception is that some of these companies are not currency- or energy-dependent enough for earnings to get hurt.

The fundamental environment, because we still have a whole host of earnings reports to come out, could work to slow the rally. But much of the pain and punishment has already been absorbed prior to the end of the quarter.