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Analysts Are Seeking Guidance From Google
Carl Bialik from WSJ writes "Following last quarter's disappointing earnings, Google's annual analysts' day this Thursday is shaping up as a test of the company's reluctance to provide financial guidance -- and of investors' tolerance of that tight-lipped approach, the Wall Street Journal reports. 'Now, Google watchers expect analysts to bring tough questions on Thursday and to pressure executives for answers that might give analysts greater confidence in their forecasts,' the WSJ reports. 'There's no reason to believe that Google will yield to any such pressures.' However, 'There is one recent sign that the company aims to be more analyst-friendly. Company representatives earlier this month solicited analysts for input on what investors wanted to hear about on Thursday, according to a person familiar with the matter.'"
...shows their motivation and, I believe, how much Google respects them:
Investors: make money by purchasing a stock, holding it for a "long term" (investor defined, but usually over years), and sells it at - hopefully - a higher price while making some money along the way in dividends. (See Benjamin Graham). Google respects them just fine, as they have an interest in the value of the company.
Traders: make money by buying/selling shares over the short term. Google's not so much worried about them as they are only interested in the stock price over days, weeks, or months. However they do provide the service of market liquidity.
Brokers: make money when *someone else* (a trader or investor) buys or sells shares. Their income is more dependent on trading volume than the price of the stock. I don't think Google even acknowledges their existence.
Analysts: make money when someone else purchases their opinion...er, I mean, "research". If their opinion is wrong, fewer people are willing to purchase it (or they should be - once again, see Benjamin Graham). They perform their function to "protect the investor", but look again at how they make their money. They are gadflies. Google puts up with them because they are a reality of the market.
Graham and Buffet are two of a kind. Hopefully Google will continue their practices from the corporate side.