LPL Financial Research

Q3 Earnings Should Be Fine, but Expectations Beyond This Quarter Are High | Weekly Market Commentary | October 21, 2024

Q3 Earnings Should Be Fine, but Expectations Beyond This Quarter Are High | Weekly Market Commentary | October 21, 2024

The S&P 500 consensus earnings growth number of 3% for the third quarter is not something to write home about, especially after double-digit earnings growth in the second quarter. The soft number is partly due to a tougher comparison. In Q2 2024, earnings had an easier comparison with a 3.3% drop in earnings in the prior-year quarter (Q2 2023 vs. Q2 2022). For the third quarter now being reported, the comparison gets tougher as earnings growth in Q3 2023 was over 5% (vs. Q2 2022).

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Q3 Earnings Should Be Fine, but Expectations Beyond This Quarter Are High | Weekly Market Commentary | October 21, 2024

Q3 Earnings Should Be Fine, but Expectations Beyond This Quarter Are High | Weekly Market Commentary | October 21, 2024

The S&P 500 consensus earnings growth number of 3% for the third quarter is not something to write home about, especially after double-digit earnings growth in the second quarter. The soft number is partly due to a tougher comparison. In Q2 2024, earnings had an easier comparison with a 3.3% drop in earnings in the prior-year quarter (Q2 2023 vs. Q2 2022). For the third quarter now being reported, the comparison gets tougher as earnings growth in Q3 2023 was over 5% (vs. Q2 2022).

read more