Any use of the word "conservative" outside a quantitative comparison should at least be disregarded and at most set off alarm bells that a deceit is underway. I

Any use of the word "conservative" outside a quantitative comparison should at least be disregarded and at most set off alarm bells that a deceit is underway. In no case should you draw any further conclusions about the outcome based on some presumed directionality of such a qualitative modifier. "Conservative compared to what?"