But analysts had not seen the company's earnings numbers or spoken with company officials.

So managers who are determined to make their earnings numbers have to resort to new methods.

The earnings numbers, though, tell only part of the story.

"I don't think it's anything you're going to see in the earnings numbers," he said.

"If companies really beat the earnings numbers and the stocks don't take off, then there is something else going on," he said.

For many years, I've had little confidence in the earnings numbers reported by most corporations.

With all eyes on the magic earnings number, not meeting it can kill a stock.

They don't really see the end of the recession in their earnings numbers.

To some strategists, the earnings numbers in recent years seem almost too good to be true.

Anyone interested in the traditional earnings number has to dig deep into the press releases.