Saia (SAIA Quick QuoteSAIA - Free Report) reported $754.78 million in revenue for the quarter ended March 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 14.3%. EPS of $3.38 for the same period compares to $2.85 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $768.14 million, representing a surprise of -1.74%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -1.46%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $3.43.

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

• Operating Ratio: 84.4% versus the four-analyst average estimate of 84.4%.
• LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) Tonnage: 1,392 KTon versus the two-analyst average estimate of 1,402.18 KTon.
• LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) Revenue Per Hundredweight(CWT): $26.51 versus the two-analyst average estimate of $26.93.

View all Key Company Metrics for Saia here>>>

Shares of Saia have returned -7.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -3.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.