For the quarter ended March 2026, Meritage Homes (MTH Quick QuoteMTH - Free Report) reported revenue of $1.12 billion, down 17.7% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.82, compared to $1.69 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -7.59% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.21 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.01, the EPS surprise was -18.97%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

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

• Home Closing Revenue - Average sales price - Total: $373.00 versus $374.97 estimated by nine analysts on average.
• Homes ordered - Total: 3,664 versus the nine-analyst average estimate of 3,969.
• Homes closed - Total: 2,967 compared to the 3,203 average estimate based on eight analysts.
• Order Backlog - Total: 1,865 compared to the 1,978 average estimate based on eight analysts.
• Order Backlog - Average sales price - Total: $381.00 versus the seven-analyst average estimate of $379.85.
• Order Backlog Value - Total: $711.47 million versus the six-analyst average estimate of $750.82 million.
• Active Communities - Ending - Total: 345 versus the five-analyst average estimate of 339.
• Homes Ordered Value - Total: $1.4 billion versus $1.5 billion estimated by five analysts on average.
• Revenue- Home closing: $1.11 billion versus the nine-analyst average estimate of $1.2 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -17.5%.
• Revenue- Land closing: $9.36 million compared to the $9.98 million average estimate based on nine analysts. The reported number represents a change of -39.3% year over year.
• Revenue- Total closing revenue (Homebuilding): $1.12 billion versus $1.21 billion estimated by eight analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -17.7% change.
• Revenue- Financial Services: $6.29 million compared to the $6.88 million average estimate based on seven analysts. The reported number represents a change of -11.3% year over year.

View all Key Company Metrics for Meritage here>>>

Shares of Meritage have returned +14% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +8.6% 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.