For the quarter ended December 2022, Murphy USA (MUSA Quick QuoteMUSA - Free Report) reported revenue of $5.37 billion, up 12.6% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $5.21, compared to $4.23 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.51 billion, representing a surprise of -2.68%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -15.42%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $6.16.

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

• Fuel Volumes - Retail fuel volume - chain [M Gallons]: 1206.3 Mgal versus 1201.56 Mgal estimated by three analysts on average.
• Petroleum product sales: $4.31 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $4.39 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +13.6%.
• Other operating revenues: $64.10 million compared to the $47.53 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +50.1% year over year.
• Merchandise Sales: $989.40 million compared to the $969.81 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +6.7% year over year.

View all Key Company Metrics for Murphy USA here>>>

Shares of Murphy USA have returned -0.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +6.3% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.