First Business Financial Services (FBIZ Quick QuoteFBIZ - Free Report) reported $36.63 million in revenue for the quarter ended December 2023, representing a year-over-year increase of 6.4%. EPS of $1.15 for the same period compares to $1.18 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $37.6 million, representing a surprise of -2.57%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +0.88%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.14.

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

• Net Interest Margin [%]: 3.7% compared to the 3.7% average estimate based on two analysts.
• Efficiency ratio: 58.3% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 60.8%.
• Total Non Interest Income: $7.09 million versus $7.55 million estimated by two analysts on average.
• Net Interest Income: $29.54 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $30.05 million.

View all Key Company Metrics for First Business Financial Services here>>>

Shares of First Business Financial Services have returned -5.8% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.5% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.