American Airlines (AAL Quick QuoteAAL - Free Report) reported $13.69 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 0.3%. EPS of -$0.17 for the same period compares to $0.30 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.45% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $13.63 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being -$0.27, the EPS surprise was +37.04%.

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

• Operating cost per ASM excluding net special items and fuel - Total: 13.91 cents versus 13.89 cents estimated by four analysts on average.
• Operating cost per ASM excluding net special items - Total: 17.48 cents versus 17.47 cents estimated by four analysts on average.
• Passenger load factor (percent) - Total: 86% versus the four-analyst average estimate of 85.3%.
• Average aircraft fuel price including related taxes - Total: 2.37 $/gal versus 2.39 $/gal estimated by four analysts on average.
• Passenger revenue per ASM - Total: 16.11 cents versus the four-analyst average estimate of 16.06 cents.
• Total revenue per ASM - Total: 17.69 cents versus 17.61 cents estimated by four analysts on average.
• Available seat miles - Total: 77.4 billion versus 77.37 billion estimated by four analysts on average.
• Yield - Total: 18.73 cents compared to the 18.78 cents average estimate based on three analysts.
• Fuel consumption - Total: 1,169.00 MGal compared to the 1,166.26 MGal average estimate based on three analysts.
• Revenue- Passenger: $12.47 billion versus $12.41 billion estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -0.4% change.
• Revenue- Other: $1.01 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $1.01 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +9.3%.
• Revenue- Cargo: $212 million compared to the $209.85 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +5% year over year.

View all Key Company Metrics for American Airlines here>>>

Shares of American Airlines have returned +1.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.2% 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.