Albemarle (NYSE: ALB) recently reported robust fourth-quarter 2017 results, capping off a strong year. The world's largest lithium producer's quarterly revenue jumped 23% and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) soared 72% year over year, breezing by Wall Street's bottom-line expectation. For the year, revenue and adjusted EPS grew 15% and 29%, respectively.The North Carolina-based diversified specialty chemical company's white-hot lithium business continues to drive growth, though its other businesses also performed solidly.