Plug Power (PLUG) Q1 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates

PLUG

Plug Power (PLUG - Free Report) reported $210.29 million in revenue for the quarter ended March 2023, representing a year-over-year increase of 49.4%. EPS of -$0.35 for the same period compares to -$0.27 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +5.29% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $199.73 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being -$0.27, the EPS surprise was -29.63%.

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.

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

  • Net revenue- Sales of fuel cell systems, related infrastructure and equipment: $182.09 million versus the seven-analyst average estimate of $164.35 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +67.3%.
  • Net revenue- Fuel delivered to customers and related equipment: $10.14 million compared to the $23.62 million average estimate based on seven analysts. The reported number represents a change of -24.5% year over year.
  • Net revenue- Power purchase agreements: $7.94 million versus $8.92 million estimated by seven analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -20.9% change.
  • Net revenue- Services performed on fuel cell systems and related infrastructure: $9.10 million versus the seven-analyst average estimate of $10.59 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +10.4%.
  • Gross profit- Power purchase agreements: -$38.88 million compared to the -$13.38 million average estimate based on seven analysts.
  • Gross profit- Fuel delivered to customers and related equipment: -$44.36 million versus the seven-analyst average estimate of -$33.40 million.
  • Gross profit- Services performed on fuel cell systems and related infrastructure: -$3.12 million versus -$1.46 million estimated by seven analysts on average.
  • Gross profit- Sales of fuel cell systems, related infrastructure and equipment: $23.77 million compared to the $28.05 million average estimate based on six analysts.
  • Gross profit- Other: $0.08 million compared to the -$0.09 million average estimate based on five analysts.
View all Key Company Metrics for Plug Power here>>>

Shares of Plug Power have returned -18% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.4% 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.

Top 5 ChatGPT Stocks Revealed

Zacks Senior Stock Strategist, Kevin Cook names 5 hand-picked stocks with sky-high growth potential in a brilliant sector of Artificial Intelligence. By 2030, the AI industry is predicted to have an internet and iPhone-scale economic impact of $15.7 Trillion.

Today you can invest in the wave of the future, an automation that answers follow-up questions … admits mistakes … challenges incorrect premises … rejects inappropriate requests. As one of the selected companies puts it, “Automation frees people from the mundane so they can accomplish the miraculous.”

Download Free ChatGPT Stock Report Right Now >>