For the quarter ended December 2023, Ball (BALL) reported revenue of $3.4 billion, down 4.1% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.78, compared to $0.44 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.52 billion, representing a surprise of -3.45%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +1.30%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.77.
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.
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 Ball performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
- Net Sales- Other: $167 million compared to the $169.64 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -0.6% year over year.
- Net Sales- Beverage packaging, North and Central America: $1.38 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.49 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -8.7%.
- Net Sales- Beverage packaging, EMEA: $739 million compared to the $688.94 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -1.2% year over year.
- Net Sales- Beverage packaging, South America: $616 million compared to the $666.25 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +0.3% year over year.
- Net Sales- Aerospace: $500 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $516.30 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -1.2%.
- Comparable operating earnings- Beverage packaging, North and Central America: $156 million versus $153.38 million estimated by three analysts on average.
- Comparable operating earnings- Beverage packaging, South America: $125 million versus $103.66 million estimated by three analysts on average.
- Comparable operating earnings- Beverage packaging, EMEA: $80 million compared to the $84.26 million average estimate based on three analysts.
- Comparable operating earnings- Aerospace: $59 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $79.02 million.
- Comparable operating earnings- Other: $5 million versus -$4.12 million estimated by two analysts on average.
Shares of Ball have returned -0.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.6% 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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