For the quarter ended December 2024, D.R. Horton (DHI) reported revenue of $7.61 billion, down 1.5% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $2.61, compared to $2.82 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.13 billion, representing a surprise of +6.79%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +8.75%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $2.40.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how D.R. Horton performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Homes Closed: 19,059 versus 17,963 estimated by 14 analysts on average.
• Net sales order - Homes sold: 17,837 versus 18,485 estimated by 14 analysts on average.
• Sales order backlog - Homes in backlog: 11,003 versus the 12-analyst average estimate of 12,871.
• Sales order backlog - Value: $4.30 billion versus the 12-analyst average estimate of $5.03 billion.
• Net sales order - Value: $6.65 billion versus the 10-analyst average estimate of $6.97 billion.
• Revenues- Home sales- Homebuilding: $7.15 billion versus the 16-analyst average estimate of $6.79 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -1.8%.
• Revenues- Financial Services: $182.30 million versus $180.88 million estimated by 16 analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -5.4% change.
• Revenues- Rental: $217.80 million versus the 15-analyst average estimate of $207.44 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +11.5%.
• Revenues- Homebuilding: $7.17 billion compared to the $6.86 billion average estimate based on 11 analysts. The reported number represents a change of -1.8% year over year.
• Revenues- Land/lot sales and other- Homebuilding: $21.20 million versus the 10-analyst average estimate of $19.09 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +4.4%.
• Revenues- Forestar: $250.40 million compared to the $324.69 million average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of -18.1% year over year.
• Revenues- Eliminations and Other: -$204.70 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of -$268.32 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -22.6%.

View all Key Company Metrics for D.R. Horton here>>>

Shares of D.R. Horton have returned +5.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

D.R. Horton, Inc. (DHI) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Zacks Investment Research