Sally Beauty (SBH) reported $937.9 million in revenue for the quarter ended December 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 0.7%. EPS of $0.43 for the same period compares to $0.39 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.38% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $941.44 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.43, the company has not delivered EPS surprise.

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 Sally Beauty performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Comparable sales growth - Sally Beauty Supply: 1.4% versus the three-analyst average estimate of 1.4%.
• Comparable sales growth - Beauty Systems Group: 1.7% compared to the 1.2% average estimate based on three analysts.
• Number of stores at end-of-period - Beauty Systems Group: 1,330 versus the three-analyst average estimate of 1,331.
• Number of stores at end-of-period - Total: 4,453 compared to the 4,460 average estimate based on three analysts.
• Number of stores at end-of-period - Sally Beauty Supply: 3,123 versus 3,128 estimated by three analysts on average.
• Comparable sales growth - Consolidated: 1.6% versus the three-analyst average estimate of 1.3%.
• Net Sales- Sally Beauty Supply: $525.45 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $529.05 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +0.4%.
• Net Sales- Beauty Systems Group: $412.45 million compared to the $412.33 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +1.1% year over year.

View all Key Company Metrics for Sally Beauty here>>>

Shares of Sally Beauty have returned -16.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.9% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with 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

Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (SBH) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Zacks Investment Research