Analyst year-end price targets often miss the mark when it comes to actual market outcomes. Interestingly, the data reveals something counter-intuitive: there's actually a meaningful *negative correlation* between where these forecasts land and how markets performed in the preceding period. In other words, analysts tend to be more bullish after downturns and bearish after rallies—essentially chasing the rearview mirror rather than predicting the road ahead. This behavioral pattern is worth noting for anyone relying on such projections for trading decisions.