We are in the heart of first quarter earnings reporting season and we note many large companies are reporting “better-than-expected” results. In most cases, companies are astute at playing the “earnings game” by guiding conservatively, then delivering upside results. Forward guidance therefore becomes more critical for investors, and guidance generally remains conservative.
The point? Earnings reports, while important, are not materially moving the stock market; it will be increased confidence in earnings expectations and economic data that we think will be more important in driving the market further upward, which by the way, we expect. We believe the best way to capture returns in the stock market is through diversified portfolios that include multiple asset classes, including stocks. Asset class diversification helps to reduce portfolio volatility and lends itself to improved risk-adjusted returns, which is the "holy grail" in financial planning and wealth management.