Lithia Motors (LAD) reported $9.22 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 11.4%. EPS of $8.21 for the same period compares to $9.25 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -2.01% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.41 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $7.59, the EPS surprise was +8.17%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Lithia Motors performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Unit Sales - New vehicle retail: 94,964 versus the three-analyst average estimate of 95,743.
• Unit Sales - Used vehicle retail: 104,898 versus 107,565 estimated by three analysts on average.
• Average Selling Price - New vehicle retail: $46,649 versus the three-analyst average estimate of $46,957.19.
• Average Selling Price - Used vehicle retail: $27,105 compared to the $27,396.74 average estimate based on three analysts.
• Revenue- Fleet and other: $183.60 million versus $255.48 million estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -31.4% change.
• Revenue- Used vehicle retail: $2.84 billion versus the five-analyst average estimate of $3 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +8.5%.
• Revenue- New vehicle: $4.43 billion versus the five-analyst average estimate of $4.50 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +14%.
• Revenue- Finance and insurance: $360.40 million compared to the $363.30 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +3.2% year over year.
• Revenue- Used vehicle wholesale: $390.90 million compared to the $309.50 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +23.7% year over year.
• Revenue by Same Store Operating Metrics- Finance and Insurance: $322 million versus $311.51 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +2.2% change.
• Revenue by Same Store Operating Metrics- Used Vehicle Retail: $2.21 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $2.31 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -0.1%.
• Revenue by Same Store Operating Metrics- New Vehicle Retail: $3.90 billion compared to the $3.73 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +14.6% year over year.

View all Key Company Metrics for Lithia Motors here>>>

Shares of Lithia Motors have returned -3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.7% 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

Lithia Motors, Inc. (LAD) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Zacks Investment Research