U.S. companies do not undertake to predict its financial results for 2012

Uncertainty about the future of U.S. companies of the business has reached its maximum level since the last financial crisis.
Only 20% of the 500 largest U.S. companies to make any predictions about the financial performance this year. And most of those who try to predict the future, do not expect anything good.

Of the 410 companies included in the base for the calculation of the index S & P500, which is reported for the last year, only 86 made the forecast for 2012 expected earnings per share. This is the lowest figure since the third quarter of 2009, when the U.S. was still reeling from the financial crisis, according to the research firm Capital IQ, owned agency Standard & Poor's. Typically, about a third of the largest U.S. companies report their expectations for future returns on a quarterly basis. In this case, at the peak of the crisis in 2008, the proportion of businesses trying to somehow guide the investors in his business prospects, fell to 15%.

"We note the marked reluctance of companies to be specific in their forecasts. When they talked about their prospects for 2012, they tended to make general comments that apply to any company in any sector "- The Financial Times quoted an analyst Capital IQ Christine Short. Uncertain growth companies in the future began late last year amid worsening European debt crisis and uncertain economic prospects in developing countries.

However, even those companies that try to forecast its future cash flows, not very optimistic. Of the 86 companies, which issued its forecast for this year, 54 are waiting for the deterioration of business and only 26 are counting on growth rates. Another six corporations believe that the dynamics of their business will be the same as in 2011. Many of these companies also provided incomplete projections, as they can not predict, such as the impact on their business, currency volatility and fluctuations in commodity prices. Thus, the company Colgate first time in 13 years refused to make a forecast for earnings in certain regions.

Analysts believe the reluctance of companies to make any predictions now a response to macroeconomic uncertainty. "The macroeconomic environment is not estimable. CEO does not know what will turn the situation in Europe, the CEO did not know China will face a hard or soft "landing" of the economy, the CEO does not know what will eventually be the situation in the U.S. economy. CEOs feel exactly the same as everyone else ", - told RBC daily strategist at Miller Tabak & Co. Peter ABC. In addition, U.S. companies have recently focused on the emerging markets, a situation which is less amenable to prediction, he said.