Business | Earned out?

America’s growing profits are under threat

Look beyond a bullish earnings season and risks loom

Illustration of a series of redwood trees getting biger, the 4th and last is starting to droop.
Illustration: Mike Haddad

Many investors will have greeted the start of corporate America’s latest earnings season feeling chipper. After a brief wobble in the first half of last year, the profits of big American firms in the S&P 500 index have climbed steadily higher in each subsequent quarter. This time round their profits are expected to grow by a bit more than 4%, year on year.

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This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Earned out?”

From the October 26th 2024 edition

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