elevated levels VS high levels

[Eartha]

Dear all,

How should I understand the "elevated levels" underlined in the sentence below?

Does it just mean "high levels", then why not use "high levels", what's the implied meaning here?

Thanks in advance.

Eartha

Investors may be overpaying for current profits. The earnings forecasts of American equity analysts imply an increase in margins from current elevated levels, since they show earnings growing much faster than nominal GDP.

[bhaisahab]

Dear all,

How should I understand the "elevated levels" underlined in the sentence below?

Does it just mean "high levels", then why not use "high levels", what's the implied meaning here?

Thanks in advance.

Eartha

Investors may be overpaying for current profits. The earnings forecasts of American equity analysts imply an increase in margins from current elevated levels, since they show earnings growing much faster than nominal GDP.

Yes, it just means high levels. There is no other implied meaning.

[BobSmith]

Yes, it just means high levels. There is no other implied meaning.

[AmE - not a teacher]

I would have guessed that while it does mean "high levels", it also implies some headroom. I could be wrong though.

[Tdol]

Does it just mean "high levels", then why not use "high levels"

Where there are different possibilities, why use only one?

[SoothingDave]

I could be mistaken, but I think that "elevated" implies a deviation from "normal" where "high" is simply a statement about the position on a scale.

For instance, gasoline prices are "high" right now, but this seems to be the new normal. Now, if we have a hurricane wipe out a refinery or a war in the middle east, then gas prices may be elevated.