
Kelsey Ellsworth
AVP Wealth Portfolio Manager | Johnson Financial Group
As Assistant Vice President, Wealth Portfolio Manager, Kelsey works with clients to achieve their unique goals and objectives.
Investment Commentary
3 minute read time
My favorite season of the year is fall. I enjoy the crisp air, the beautiful fall colors, and everything pumpkin spiced. Just as fall foliage signifies a new season, company earnings reports—announced quarterly during “earnings season”—point to changes in the markets and the economy. Third-quarter earnings are just beginning, and these reports will give insight into the economy and recession indicators.
This year’s market sell-off is reflective of a difficult earnings picture. Rising input costs, demand erosion, and geopolitical risks have all contributed to the uncertainty. Now, heading into this earnings season, investors anticipate squeezed profits given rising interest rates, high inflation, and slowing economic growth.
We’re still in the first half of earnings season (see the chart below for when S&P 500 constituents report). So far, company reports have been better than feared as evidenced by the stock-market rally on Monday and into Tuesday, driven primarily by the financial sector. An important caveat is that earnings estimates have been revised lower all year, due to slower growth and increased uncertainty, making them easier to beat now.
Most of the banks exceeded expectations for earnings and revenue and detailed that consumers continue to spend and deposits are still healthy. Citigroup, Bank of America, and JP Morgan all reported rising revenues. In the minority are companies like Disney, which reported demand destruction as a result of higher prices.
Company earnings help us to understand where we fall in the economic cycle. One model we look at to understand the cycle is the H.O.P.E. model, which stands for Housing, New Orders, Profits, and Employment. As rates rise, it takes several quarters to impact each of these sectors. Our 4th Quarter Outlook talks more in depth about this model. Following is a brief overview:
If we wait for all the data to turn positive, it is too late. What we can do is position portfolios to ride through the volatility that we’re experiencing. In client portfolios, we have positioned more defensively favoring value over growth, domestic over international, and large cap over small cap.
On the bond side, we have increased quality by reducing high yield and increasing investment grade and favoring government bonds over corporate.
By the time the leaves fall from the trees—and this earnings season wraps up—we may have a better sense of where we are headed next.
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