Introduction
In part 1 of this series on forecasting future results as the key to investing success, I suggested that reviewing consensus analyst estimates was a smart and prudent starting point. Furthermore, I attempted to illustrate that consensus estimates tend to be accurate enough to help you determine whether a deeper dive into the company is warranted or not. However, I also suggested that it’s imperative to go beyond simply looking at consensus estimates before you make your final investing decisions.
In simple terms, reasonably accurate forecasts are ultimately achieved as a process commonly referred