Ford Misses Q4 Earnings, LVS And LRCX Both Beat

Following the closing bell this afternoon, three companies sporting Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) recommendations reported Q4 earnings results: Ford (NYSE:F) , Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) and Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) . In fact, Ford and Lam both also carry Zacks Style Scores (Volume, Growth, Momentum) of A (LVS has a Style Score of C). So how did they do?

Dearborn, MI-based Ford Motor Co. posted a disappointing bottom line result for its Q4, reporting 39 cents per share for a 3-cent miss. Quarterly sales, however, rose 7% year over year to $41.3 billion on net income growth of 65%. North American wholesale volume was up 5%. Although this is Ford's first earnings miss in the last 5 quarters, consider the one-time tax writeoff as a possible culprit here. For more on F's earnings, click here.

On a continually stronger Macau business, Las Vegas Sands posted its 4th straight earnings beat for Q4 2017: 88 cents per share versus a Zacks consensus estimate of 77 cents. Revenues of $3.44 billion easily surpassed the $3.21 billion expected. Net income in the quarter grew 124% year over year, and its Macau business rose nearly 20%. For more on LVS's earnings, click here.

Lam Research posted a notable Q2 2018 report -- depending on whether you look at GAAP or non-GAAP earnings, the Silicon Valley-based semiconductor manufacturer either earned $4.34 per share (non-GAAP) or -$0.06 (GAAP). This is on account of a massive $750 million write-down based on new U.S. tax policy; Lam holds lots of cash overseas. Guidance for full-year 2018 on the upper range is higher than the current Zacks estimates of $3.81 per share and $2.66 billion. For more on LRCX's earnings, click here.

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