12. Earnings and share returns [LO 13.1] As indicated by a number of examples in this chapter, earnings announcements by companies are closely followed by, and frequently result in, share price revisions.

Two issues should come to mind. First, earnings announcements concern past periods. If the market values shares based on expectations of the future, why are numbers summarising past performance relevant? Second, these announcements concern accounting earnings.

Going back to Chapter 2, such earnings may have little to do with cash flow—so, again, why are they relevant?