Murphy Oil (MUR Quick QuoteMUR - Free Report) reported $665.71 million in revenue for the quarter ended March 2025, representing a year-over-year decline of 16.4%. EPS of $0.56 for the same period compares to $0.85 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.31% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $667.76 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.48, the EPS surprise was +16.67%.

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

• Production - Net crude oil and condensate - Barrels per day - Total: 84.26 thousands of barrels of oil versus 85.84 thousands of barrels of oil estimated by six analysts on average.
• Production - Net natural gas liquids - Barrels per day - Total: 8.41 thousands of barrels of oil versus 9.16 thousands of barrels of oil estimated by six analysts on average.
• Production - Net natural gas - including NCI - cubic feet per day - Total: 424.23 millions of cubic feet versus the six-analyst average estimate of 426.47 millions of cubic feet.
• Total net hydrocarbons - excluding NCI: 157.22 KBOE/D versus 164.83 KBOE/D estimated by six analysts on average.
• Production - Net natural gas - including NCI - cubic feet per day - Onshore - United States: 26.19 millions of cubic feet versus 21.9 millions of cubic feet estimated by four analysts on average.
• Production - Net natural gas - including NCI - cubic feet per day - Offshore - United States: 51.15 millions of cubic feet versus 58.61 millions of cubic feet estimated by four analysts on average.
• Production - Net natural gas liquids - Barrels per day - Offshore- United States: 3.8 thousands of barrels of oil versus 4.59 thousands of barrels of oil estimated by four analysts on average.
• Production - Net natural gas liquids - Barrels per day - Onshore - United States: 4.07 thousands of barrels of oil versus 4.07 thousands of barrels of oil estimated by four analysts on average.
• Revenues- Exploration and production- Canada: $165.70 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $158.14 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +21%.
• Revenues- Exploration and production- United States: $509.50 million compared to the $494.29 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -22.8% year over year.
• Revenues and other income- Revenue from sales to customers- Total: $672.73 million versus $653.43 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -15.4% change.
• Revenues and other income- Revenue from sales to customers- Revenue from production: $672.73 million versus $662.06 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -15.3% change.

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

Shares of Murphy Oil have returned +7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +10.6% 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.