Steel Dynamics (STLD) reported $3.87 billion in revenue for the quarter ended December 2024, representing a year-over-year decline of 8.5%. EPS of $1.36 for the same period compares to $2.61 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.96 billion, representing a surprise of -2.13%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +5.43%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.29.

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

• Steel - Average external sales price (Per ton): 1,011 $/ton versus the four-analyst average estimate of 981.38 $/ton.
• Steel Fabrication - Average sales price (Per ton): 2,718 $/ton versus the four-analyst average estimate of 2,727.95 $/ton.
• Steel - External Shipments (Tons): 2,617.91 KTon compared to the 2,696.13 KTon average estimate based on four analysts.
• Steel Fabrication - Shipments (Tons): 145.9 KTon versus the four-analyst average estimate of 149.45 KTon.
• Steel - Average ferrous cost (Per ton melted): 370 $/ton versus the four-analyst average estimate of 355.96 $/ton.
• Steel - Flat Roll shipments - Butler, Columbus and Sinton: 1,841.75 KTon compared to the 1,906.88 KTon average estimate based on three analysts.
• Metals Recycling - Ferrous shipments (Gross tons): 1,421.02 KTon versus 1,445.04 KTon estimated by three analysts on average.
• Steel - Flat Roll shipments - Steel Processing Divisions: 460.16 KTon versus the three-analyst average estimate of 439.07 KTon.
• External Net Sales- Steel: $2.65 billion compared to the $2.65 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of -9.2% year over year.
• External Net Sales- Steel Fabrication: $396.23 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $407.75 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -23.9%.
• External Net Sales- Metals Recycling: $482.08 million compared to the $546.89 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of -1.2% year over year.
• External Net Sales- Other: $287.74 million compared to the $353.72 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -7% year over year.

View all Key Company Metrics for Steel Dynamics here>>>

Shares of Steel Dynamics have returned +6.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.1% 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.

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