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WestRock (WRK) Q4 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates

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WestRock (WRK - Free Report) reported $4.99 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2023, representing a year-over-year decline of 7.7%. EPS of $0.81 for the same period compares to $1.43 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.1 billion, representing a surprise of -2.14%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +8.00%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.75.

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

  • Segment Sales- Corrugated Packaging: $2.52 billion compared to the $2.59 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +5.8% year over year.
  • Segment Sales- Consumer Packaging: $1.21 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $1.21 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -7.3%.
  • Segment Sales- Global Paper: $1.01 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $1.03 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -29.2%.
  • Segment Sales- Intersegment eliminations: -$73.80 million versus -$77.25 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -20.3% change.
  • Segment Sales- Distribution: $314.10 million versus $330.25 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -16% change.
View all Key Company Metrics for WestRock here>>>

Shares of WestRock have returned +0.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.8% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.

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