First Financial Northwest (FFNW Quick QuoteFFNW - Free Report) reported $9.69 million in revenue for the quarter ended March 2024, representing a year-over-year decline of 18.7%. EPS of -$0.12 for the same period compares to $0.23 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -2.40% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.93 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.09, the EPS surprise was -233.33%.

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

• Net Interest Margin [%]: 2.6% versus 2.6% estimated by two analysts on average.
• Efficiency ratio: 117% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 88.4%.
• Total Non Interest Income: $0.79 million compared to the $0.67 million average estimate based on two analysts.
• Net Interest Income: $8.90 million compared to the $9.26 million average estimate based on two analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for First Financial here>>>

Shares of First Financial have returned -1.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -2.5% 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.