For the quarter ended March 2026, Ball (BALL Quick QuoteBALL - Free Report) reported revenue of $3.6 billion, up 16.3% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.94, compared to $0.76 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.29 billion, representing a surprise of +9.62%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +10.39%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.85.

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

• Net Sales- Other: $131 million versus $187.8 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -30% change.
• Net Sales- Beverage packaging, EMEA: $1.11 billion compared to the $999.4 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +23% year over year.
• Net Sales- Beverage packaging, South America: $585 million compared to the $563.09 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +7.5% year over year.
• Net Sales- Beverage packaging, North and Central America: $1.78 billion compared to the $1.53 billion average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +21.4% year over year.
• Comparable operating earnings- Beverage packaging, North and Central America: $205 million versus $197.9 million estimated by three analysts on average.
• Comparable operating earnings- Beverage packaging, EMEA: $134 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $102.43 million.
• Comparable operating earnings- Beverage packaging, South America: $67 million compared to the $64.06 million average estimate based on three analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for Ball here>>>

Shares of Ball have returned +2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +9.5% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.