--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Earnings can be pliable as putty when a…" description: "\"Earnings can be pliable as putty when a charlatan heads the company reporting them.\" — Warren Buffett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/warren-buffett-183_business_earnings-can-be-pliable-as-putty-when-a_2716187.png" --- # Earnings can be pliable as putty when a charlatan heads… ![“Earnings can be pliable as putty when a charlatan heads the company reporting them.” quote by Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/warren-buffett-183_business_earnings-can-be-pliable-as-putty-when-a_2716187.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/warren-buffett-183_business_earnings-can-be-pliable-as-putty-when-a_2716187.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/warren-buffett-183_business_earnings-can-be-pliable-as-putty-when-a_2716187.png) > “Earnings can be pliable as putty when a charlatan heads the company reporting them.” [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Financial reports can be manipulated when incompetent leaders control them. **In simple terms:** Bad leaders can distort earnings. Key Takeaway Beware of leadership quality. Themes finance leadership ethics Mood cautious skeptical Type advisory warning When to use this quote - investor analysis - board selection - regulatory review - audit processes Key Concepts corporate governance financial manipulation Questions to Reflect On - How can stakeholders ensure transparent reporting? - What safeguards protect against manipulation? A Different Perspective Even honest leaders may face pressure to mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Charlatans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charlatans/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Company Reporting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company-reporting-2846389/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Earning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earning/) [Earnings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earnings/) [Earnings Pliable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earnings-pliable-2846388/) [Heads Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heads-company-2846390/) [Putty Charlatan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/putty-charlatan-2846391/) [Valuation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valuation/) ## Related quotes > [Calculate "owner earnings" to get a true reflection of value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/calculate-owner-earnings-to-get-a-true-reflection-of-value/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [United's 2015 earnings were one of the best in the company's history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-munoz/united-s-2015-earnings-were-one-of-the-best-in-the-company-s-history/) [Oscar Munoz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-munoz/) > [The earnings have been pretty good so far, but there's an ambiguity in the market about them, because you'll see Amazon or Microsoft disappointing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-s-johnson/the-earnings-have-been-pretty-good-so-far-but-there-s-an-ambiguity-in/) [Hugh S. 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Accounting just increases the transparency of volatility in earnings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-garnick/accounting-does-not-make-corporate-earnings-or-balance-sheets-more/) [Diane Garnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-garnick/) > [There is no limit on earnings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/there-is-no-limit-on-earnings/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [Earnings can change dramatically. Usually assets change slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-schloss/earnings-can-change-dramatically-usually-assets-change-slowly/) [Walter Schloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-schloss/) > [We should begin to remind people they are always after your money and if you are on something around average earnings you really don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-redwood/we-should-begin-to-remind-people-they-are-always-after-your-money-and/) [John Redwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-redwood/) > [Through good times and bad, American workers and their families have been able to rely on Social Security to provide guaranteed protection against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sander-levin/through-good-times-and-bad-american-workers-and-their-families-have/) [Sander Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sander-levin/) > [When I got my statement in January, I was worth $2.2 billion. 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