Comparing the fourth quarter with the third tells you mostly about Christmas. Comparing it with the prior fourth quarter tells you about the business. That is why almost every headline growth figure is year-over-year.
The weakness is the base effect. A quarter that collapsed a year ago produces a spectacular growth rate on recovery, and a quarter that was unusually strong produces a weak one. Two-year stacked growth rates neutralise this.
Example: Northwind Tools grows revenue from $778M to $840M, 8.0% year-over-year. Against the $702M of two years ago the two-year stack is 19.7%, or 9.4% a year compounded.
Related: sequential-growth, organic-growth, revenue, constant-currency, estimate-revision