Markham Lee_

Sick and Tired of Financials, Carmakers Blaming Everyone but Themselves

I think the markets and the analysts look for a sign from the company that things will improve, and they more or less make "bets" that the rest of the market will buy what management is selling.

After an abysmal Q3 of '07 (A big loss, negative revenue) Countrywide claimed that they would return to profitability the following quarter, and the stock popped significantly even though there was zero reason to believe that.

Every time a retail company misses its numbers it always has an excuse: the weather, paycheck cycles, etc, and many times the media and the analysts buy it.

It's sort of a weird con game where the mark asks for it.

It won't stop until investors start holding management accountable and/or calling BS more often.