The Week In Guidance: 4 Companies That Gave Investors Their 2017 Outlook

United Technologies

United Technologies Corporation UTX said it expects to earn $6.30 to $6.60 per share in fiscal 2017 on revenue of $57.5 billion to $59 billion. This compares to Wall Street's expectations for the company to earn $6.58 per share on revenue of $59.2 billion.

Carter Copeland of Barclays commented in a research report that the company's 2017 guidance was "slightly better than expected." The analyst noted:

1. Top-line growth at Otis was a "surprise."
2. The UTC Aerospace System is showing signs of an earlier-than-expected success.
3. Cost and schedule trend lines at Pratt are no longer worsening.

Athenahealth

Athenahealth, Inc ATHN guided its fiscal 2017 revenue to be in a range of $1.29 billion to $1.33 billion (versus a consensus estimate of $1.29 billion) and an operating income of $170 million to $190 million.

David Larsen of Leerink commented in a research report that the company's 2017 revenue and operating income guidance came in ahead of its expectations.

Larsen did add that Athenahealth's 2017 revenue guidance applies a 19.1 percent year-over-year revenue growth which is equal to or slightly above the growth rate seen in 2016, despite the fact that the company is at just 80 percent of its bookings goal which is well below the growth rate in bookings from 2015.

General Electric

General Electric Company GE guided its fiscal 2017 operating earnings per share to a range of $1.60 to $1.70 versus a consensus estimate of $1.67 per share. The company also guided its fiscal 2018 to be around $2.00 per share.

Scott Davis of Barclays commented in a research report that we are in the "8th or 9th inning" of the company's CEO Jeff Immelt's tenure and the company's guidance and presentation gave a "sprint to the finish line feel to it."

The analyst added that regardless of Immelt's tenure leading the company the "story finally seems to be intact" and there are enough levers to pull and there is no specific reason to derail its earnings ramp.

Eli Lilly

Eli Lilly and Co LLY guided its full-year fiscal 2016 earnings per share to be in a range of $3.50 to $3.60 (on revenue of $20.8 billion to $21.2 billion) versus Wall Street's expectations of $3.52 per share. The company also said it expects to earn $4.05 to $4.17 per share throughout fiscal 2017 (on revenue of $21.8 billion to $22.3 billion), which is above Wall Street's current expectations of $3.97 per share.

At Last Check

• Athenahealth shares were up 24.19 percent at $117.20.
• Eli Lilly shares were up 5.01 percent at $71.06.
• General Electric shares were down 0.67 percent at $31.29.
• United Technologies shares were down 0.71 percent at $108.49.