I also have seen this a million places, Rev Rob, and 99% of the time it means absolutely "zip" to me!
If a rod manufacturer won't, or doesn't, list its rod components by name, (i.e. Struble, etc.), then I generally take that to mean something like............. "The finest components we could afford to use, and still keep the price down, although we know they're not the best"!

And, most of all, "Finest" compared to "what"? "Finest components" based solely on their own opinion?
In advertising anymore, it's actually funny to see that everyone that manufactures or promotes practically anything, from fly rods to shoes, "Has the finest, best, most superior, unequaled, top of the line", of whatever point they're trying to make.

Basically, if "Company A", claims to make their rods with "The finest components available" and "Company B", claims the exact same thing, and considering they're each using different components............. then who's lying about their product, if it's not based solely on their own opinion?

I'd say it's best to take "Finest Components", with a grain of "The Finest Salt available".