Texas Instruments (NASDAQ: TXN) reported Q4 EPS of $0.34, versus $1.09 reported last year. Revenue for the quarter came in at $3.75 billion versus the consensus estimate of $3.74 billion.

Regarding the company's performance and returns to shareholders, Rich Templeton, TI\'s chairman, president and CEO, made the following comments:

• "Revenue increased 10 percent from the same quarter a year ago. Demand for our products continued to be strong in the industrial and automotive markets.
• "In our core businesses, Analog revenue grew 11 percent and Embedded Processing grew 20 percent from the same quarter a year ago. Operating margin increased in both businesses.
• "Gross margin of 65.1 percent for the quarter reflected the quality of our product portfolio, as well as the efficiency of our manufacturing strategy, including the benefit of 300-millimeter Analog production.
• "Our cash flow from operations of $5.36 billion for the year again underscored the strength of our business model. Free cash flow for the year was up 14 percent from a year ago to $4.67 billion and represents 31.2 percent of revenue, up from 30.5 percent a year ago.
• "We have returned $4.66 billion to owners in 2017 through stock repurchases and dividends, consistent with our strategy to return to owners all of our free cash flow. Over the last 12 months, our dividends represented 45 percent of free cash flow, underscoring their sustainability.
• "TI\'s first-quarter outlook is for revenue in the range of $3.49 billion to $3.79 billion, and earnings per share between $1.01 and $1.17, which includes an estimated $30 million discrete tax benefit.
• "Notably, the recently passed tax reform act will reduce our annual operating tax rate from 31 percent in 2017 to an ongoing rate of 18 percent starting in 2019, comprehending the benefit of exports and having manufacturing, R&D and intellectual property in the United States. In 2018, our annual operating tax rate will be 23 percent, 5 percentage points higher, due to transitional expense associated with the reduced U.S. tax rate in 2018."

GUIDANCE:

Texas Instruments sees Q1 2018 EPS of $1.01-$1.17, versus the consensus of $1.06. Texas Instruments sees Q1 2018 revenue of $3.49-3.79 billion, versus the consensus of $3.63 billion.

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