>> the analysts who actually cover companies and make earnings forecasts aren’t buying it.
Hmmm ... To the analysts - ignore the ticker at your own risk ... or in the more common vernacular
Money TALKS - BS walks.
The Money has been SCREAMING - it's worth more, and the analysts don't understand it.
Could it be ....
1.) The market is smarter than the analysts - and the market recognizes that RETAINED earnings have a high probability of INCREASING - through three (or more) means:
a.) Reduced Corporate tax rate to 15% from ??35%?? *that would be one HELLUVA increase in actual 'earnings retained'.
b.) A possible reduction in the CAPITAL GAINS TAX ?
c.) Possible reductions in INDIVIDUAL TAX RATES ?
Any of the above, all or combos, would account for a legitimate increase in demand for stocks (ie. higher prices)
-or-
2. The analysts really are the elite of the elite, (that's why they are all multi-billionaires rather than working for some rating/brokerage firm) and the rest of the market is nothing but a bunch of idiot sheeple blindly heading towards the cliff ....
Hmmm - which option makes more sense .... hmmmmmm