First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) reported $2.3 billion in revenue for the quarter ended March 2025, representing a year-over-year decline of 6%. EPS of $37.79 for the same period compares to $52.92 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +4.36% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.2 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $37.72, the EPS surprise was +0.19%.

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

• Efficiency Ratio: 65% compared to the 58.9% average estimate based on five analysts.
• Net Interest Margin: 3.3% versus 3.3% estimated by five analysts on average.
• Net charge-off ratio: 0.4% versus 0.5% estimated by four analysts on average.
• Book value per share: $1,596.30 versus the four-analyst average estimate of $1,575.72.
• Nonaccrual loans at period end: $1.21 billion versus $1.21 billion estimated by three analysts on average.
• Average Balance - Total interest-earning assets: $206.03 billion compared to the $207.08 billion average estimate based on three analysts.
• Net Interest Income: $1.66 billion versus $1.69 billion estimated by five analysts on average.
• Total Noninterest Income: $635 million compared to the $491.06 million average estimate based on five analysts.
• Cardholder services, net: $41 million versus $41.42 million estimated by three analysts on average.
• Merchant services, net: $14 million versus $13.04 million estimated by three analysts on average.
• Factoring commissions: $17 million versus $19.80 million estimated by three analysts on average.
• Deposit fees and service charges: $58 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $57.23 million.

View all Key Company Metrics for First Citizens here>>>

Shares of First Citizens have returned -5.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -5.1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform 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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