The Stock Market Has an Earnings Quality Problem -- and It Can't Be Ignored Any Longer

A dollar in corporate profit isn't always what it's cracked up to be.Since 2023 began, Wall Street's major stock indexes have been practically unstoppable. The ageless Dow Jones Industrial Average, benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC -0.95%), and growth-powered Nasdaq Composite have ascended to numerous record-closing highs.Investors haven't hurt for catalysts, with a laundry list of positives responsible for perpetuating this more than two-year rally. This includes the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), Donald Tru ...