S&P 500 firms discuss oil prices but expect minimal profit impact

S&P 500 companies can’t stop talking about higher oil prices. But few say they’ll actually hurt profits.

S&P 500 companies are frequently mentioning higher oil prices in their communications and earnings calls, indicating concern about the issue. However, most of these companies are not reporting that elevated oil prices will have a material negative impact on their profitability. This suggests a disconnect between the level of discussion about oil price increases and their actual expected financial consequences for large U.S. corporations.