For the quarter ended July 2024, Dollar General (DG Quick QuoteDG - Free Report) reported revenue of $10.21 billion, up 4.2% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.70, compared to $2.13 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $10.38 billion, representing a surprise of -1.61%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -5.03%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.79.

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

• Ending store count

  : 20,345 versus the 21-analyst average estimate of 20,327.

• Same-Store Sales growth

  : 0.5% versus the 21-analyst average estimate of 2.1%.

• Total selling square footage

  : 154.48 Msq ft versus the 20-analyst average estimate of 153.74 Msq ft.

• New store openings

  : 213 versus the 19-analyst average estimate of 192.

• Store closings

  : 17 compared to the 17 average estimate based on 18 analysts.

• Net sales per square foot

  : $66.10 compared to the $67.82 average estimate based on 14 analysts.

• Net Sales Per Store

  : $0.50 million versus $0.51 million estimated by 12 analysts on average.

• Net Sales by Category- Consumables

  : $8.40 billion versus $8.45 billion estimated by 10 analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +6% change.

• Net Sales by Category- Seasonal

  : $1.05 billion versus the seven-analyst average estimate of $1.11 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -2%.

• Net Sales by Category- Home products

  : $480.22 million versus $527 million estimated by seven analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -7.1% change.

• Net Sales by Category- Apparel

  : $278.16 million versus $288.74 million estimated by seven analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -1.3% change.

View all Key Company Metrics for Dollar General here>>>

Shares of Dollar General have returned +2.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.6% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.