For the quarter ended July 2023, Ulta Beauty (ULTA Quick QuoteULTA - Free Report) reported revenue of $2.53 billion, up 10.1% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $6.02, compared to $5.70 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.51 billion, representing a surprise of +0.87%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +2.56%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $5.87.

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

• Comparable store sales - YoY change: 8% versus 5.91% estimated by 10 analysts on average.
• Number of stores - Total: 1362 versus the eight-analyst average estimate of 1365.25.
• Total gross square footage: 14272.44 Msq ft compared to the 14373.67 Msq ft average estimate based on seven analysts.
• Number of stores opened - Total: 3 versus the six-analyst average estimate of 6.5.
• Stores at Beginning of the Period: 1359 versus the four-analyst average estimate of 1359.

View all Key Company Metrics for Ulta here>>>

Shares of Ulta have returned -3.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -2.1% 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.