Plug Power (PLUG) reported $191.47 million in revenue for the quarter ended December 2024, representing a year-over-year decline of 13.8%. EPS of -$1.65 for the same period compares to -$1.07 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -25.45% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $256.82 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being -$0.23, the EPS surprise was -617.39%.

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

• Net revenue- Sales of equipment, related infrastructure and other: $138.11 million versus the eight-analyst average estimate of $196.67 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -17.8%.
• Net revenue- Services performed on fuel cell systems and related infrastructure: $11.96 million compared to the $14.77 million average estimate based on eight analysts. The reported number represents a change of -0.3% year over year.
• Net revenue- Power purchase agreements: $19.41 million versus the eight-analyst average estimate of $19.72 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -1%.
• Net revenue- Fuel delivered to customers and related equipment: $19.92 million compared to the $31.50 million average estimate based on eight analysts. The reported number represents a change of +5.6% year over year.
• Net revenue- Other: $2.07 million compared to the $2.78 million average estimate based on seven analysts. The reported number represents a change of -45.2% year over year.
• Gross profit- Sales of equipment, related infrastructure and other: -$143.03 million versus -$28.60 million estimated by eight analysts on average.
• Gross profit- Power purchase agreements: -$36.22 million compared to the -$27.72 million average estimate based on eight analysts.
• Gross profit- Fuel delivered to customers and related equipment: -$36.48 million versus -$18.55 million estimated by eight analysts on average.
• Gross profit- Services performed on fuel cell systems and related infrastructure: -$10.03 million versus -$0.85 million estimated by seven analysts on average.
• Gross profit- Other: $1.50 million compared to the $0.40 million average estimate based on five analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for Plug Power here>>>

Shares of Plug Power have returned -19.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -2.3% 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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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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