For the quarter ended March 2026, Bread Financial Holdings (BFH Quick QuoteBFH - Free Report) reported revenue of $1.02 billion, up 5% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $4.18, compared to $2.86 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +1.12% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.01 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $3.00, the EPS surprise was +39.57%.

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

• Net Interest Margin: 19.3% versus 18.2% estimated by three analysts on average.
• Efficiency Ratio: 46.4% versus 51.4% estimated by three analysts on average.
• Net loss rate (Net principal losses as a percentage of average credit card and other loans): 7.3% compared to the 7.3% average estimate based on three analysts.
• Tier 1 capital ratio: 13.3% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 13.2%.
• Total risk-based capital ratio: 16.9% compared to the 16.8% average estimate based on two analysts.
• Total interest income: $1.26 billion versus $1.26 billion estimated by three analysts on average.
• Interest on cash and investment securities: $36 million compared to the $47.13 million average estimate based on three analysts.
• Interchange revenue, net of retailer shares arrangements: $-107 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $-93.56 million.
• Other: $58 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $56.19 million.
• Net interest income: $1.07 billion versus $1.04 billion estimated by three analysts on average.
• Total non-interest income: $-49 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $-37.37 million.
• Interest and fees on loans: $1.22 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.22 billion.

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

Shares of Bread Financial have returned +23.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +9.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.