For the quarter ended June 2024, Ball (BALL Quick QuoteBALL - Free Report) reported revenue of $2.96 billion, down 17% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.74, compared to $0.61 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -3.52% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.07 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.73, the EPS surprise was +1.37%.

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

• Net Sales- Beverage packaging, North and Central America

  : $1.47 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.50 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -4.4%.

• Net Sales- Other

  : $188 million versus $209.90 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -8.3% change.

• Net Sales- Beverage packaging, South America

  : $422 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $414.42 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +4.2%.

• Net Sales- Beverage packaging, EMEA

  : $880 million versus $928.74 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -4.4% change.

• Comparable operating earnings- Beverage packaging, North and Central America

  : $210 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $202.89 million.

• Comparable operating earnings- Beverage packaging, South America

  : $37 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $53.28 million.

• Comparable operating earnings- Beverage packaging, EMEA

  : $113 million versus $108.84 million estimated by three analysts on average.

• Comparable operating earnings- Other

  : $2 million compared to the -$1.17 million average estimate based on two analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for Ball here>>>

Shares of Ball have returned +6.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.