Despite the improvement, the number fell within the consensus projection in the market, which minimized its effect.

That was 2 cents lower than the pro forma consensus projections of Wall Street analysts, who had been projecting sales of $6.9 billion.

Nevertheless, AT&T's earnings came in a penny above the consensus projection of analysts.

The company reported earnings of 34 cents a share, double the consensus projection of analysts.

Some of them become consensus projections, but they aren't really objective even then.

EMC's results met the consensus projections of analysts tracked by Thomson First Call.

The company reported that it lost 1 cent a share; the consensus projection had been a loss of 2 cents.

It said earnings next year would be about $1.89 a share, or 17 percent less than the $2.28 consensus projection.

He periodically performs what he calls a "value check" of the portfolio companies, using five-year consensus projections of earnings growth rates.

That, too, fell short of the expectations of industry analysts, whose consensus projection was $10.4 billion.