Macy's (M Quick QuoteM - Free Report) reported $4.94 billion in revenue for the quarter ended July 2024, representing a year-over-year decline of 3.8%. EPS of $0.53 for the same period compares to $0.26 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -2.94% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.09 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.32, the EPS surprise was +65.62%.

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

• Store Count - End of Period - Bluemercury

  : 157 versus 160 estimated by four analysts on average.

• Comparable store sales - Owned basis - YoY change (Domestic retail)

  : -4% compared to the -1.2% average estimate based on four analysts.

• Macy's Stores - Boxes (EOP)

  : 506 compared to the 506 average estimate based on four analysts.

• Consolidated Number of stores

  : 720 compared to the 724 average estimate based on three analysts.

• Net Sales

  : $4.94 billion compared to the $5.05 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of -3.8% year over year.

• Net Sales- Other Revenue

  : $159 million compared to the $154.31 million average estimate based on four analysts.

• Net Sales- Other Revenue- Macy's Media Network revenue, net

  : $34 million compared to the $34.53 million average estimate based on two analysts.

• Net Sales- Other Revenue- Credit card revenues, net

  : $125 million versus $119.10 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +4.2% change.

View all Key Company Metrics for Macy's here>>>

Shares of Macy's have returned +5.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.8% 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.