For the quarter ended July 2023, Ross Stores (ROST Quick QuoteROST - Free Report) reported revenue of $4.93 billion, up 7.7% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.32, compared to $1.11 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +4.01% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.74 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.17, the EPS surprise was +12.82%.

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

• Comparable store sales - YoY change: 5% compared to the 0.26% average estimate based on six analysts.
• Store count at end of period: 2061 versus 2059.4 estimated by five analysts on average.
• Number of stores opened: 27 compared to the 26 average estimate based on three analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for Ross Stores here>>>

Shares of Ross Stores have returned +6.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.6% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.