Earnings season is ramping up as Tesla (TSLA), Netflix (NFLX), General Motors (GM), and Ford Motor Company (F), among others, report results this week. As of Oct. 17, 12% of S&P 500 companies have reported results, according to FactSet data, and analysts are expecting an 8.5% jump in earnings per share during the third quarter. If that figure holds, it would mark the ninth straight quarter of positive earnings growth but a deceleration from the 12% earnings growth reported in Q2 of this year. Expectation ...