IT, financial firms leading year-over-year sales growth

With nearly 60% of S&P 500 companies having reported fourth-quarter earnings so far, the average sales growth rate for the S&P 500 is a paltry 0.36%, compared to an earnings growth rate of 8.98%. Information technology and financial firms have posted the largest sales growth from a year earlier, led by large increases at companies like Google, Goldman Sachs, Lam Research and Capital One; while the materials, utilities and energy sectors have posted sales declines compared to the fourth quarter of 2011.