It's company earnings season. What does that mean - and why does it matter?

'Tis the season! But not the one that involves giving gifts and carol singing. It's corporate Australia's earnings season, where accountants get to take the centre stage.

In February and August each year, most companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) have to report their half-yearly performance in detail.

This might seem like quite a dull affair, but for the world of finance, it's a blo