A Massive Earnings Surge Could Lift the Dow to 60,000 and the S&P 500 to 8,000, Says Top Wall Street Strategist
The Dow Jones Industrial Average reaching 40,000 was a milestone for investors last week, but a top Wall Street forecaster sees even bigger gains ahead, thanks to earnings.Yardeni Research's chief investment strategist, Ed Yardeni, told clients in a note that the index DJIA was on track for a 50% rise to 60,000 by 2030, and the S&P 500 SPX could see a rise to 8,000. The Dow closed above 40,000 for the first time ever on Friday."That target could be achieved with a forward P/E [price/earnings estimate] of 20 and forward earnings at $400 per share, up 60% from an estimated $250 per share this year. We think that's possible in our Roaring 2020s scenario," said Yardeni.Yardeni's Roaring 20s scenario assumes S&P 500 companies collectively report earnings per share growth of at least 8.8% per year, the historical average rate since 1936. If growth rates of nominal and real GDP exceed their averages of 6.3% and 3.1%, respectively, since the last 1940s, that EPS expansion could speed up."That