For the quarter ended June 2023, Southern First (SFST Quick QuoteSFST - Free Report) reported revenue of $21.56 million, down 20.6% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.31, compared to $0.90 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -4.43% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $22.56 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.32, the EPS surprise was -3.12%.

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.

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

• Efficiency ratio: 80.67% versus 75.46% estimated by two analysts on average.
• Net Interest Margin: 2.05% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 2.22%.
• Total Noninterest Income: $2.74 million compared to the $2.23 million average estimate based on two analysts.

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

Shares of Southern First have returned +9.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +4.9% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.