How did LYB's Q4 earnings surprise impact its annual performance?

Lyondellbasell Industries (LYB) experienced a positive earnings surprise in Q4 2024, with an EPS surprise of $0.05, compared to the consensus estimate. This positive surprise had a favorable impact on LYB's annual performance, as evidenced by the company's financial results over the past three years.

1. Growth in Net Income: LYB's net income has shown a consistent upward trend, from $1.37 billion in 2024Q4 to $3.89 billion in 2022Q4. This indicates a strong improvement in profitability over the past three years, which can be attributed in part to the positive earnings surprise in Q4 2024.

2. Increase in Total Revenue: The company's total revenue has also increased steadily, from $40.3 billion in 2024Q4 to $50.45 billion in 2022Q4. This growth in revenue further supports the notion that the positive earnings surprise in Q4 2024 had a beneficial impact on LYB's annual performance.
3. Consistency and Stability: The fact that LYB has maintained a consistent and stable growth trajectory in both net income and total revenue over the past three years suggests that the company is performing well and is able to capitalize on positive surprises like the one in Q4 2024 to drive further growth and profitability.

In conclusion, LYB's Q4 earnings surprise had a positive impact on its annual performance, contributing to the company's overall growth in net income and total revenue over the past three years. This positive surprise likely played a role in the company's strong financial performance, reinforcing investor confidence in LYB's ability to generate consistent returns.