Murphy Oil (MUR Quick QuoteMUR - Free Report) reported $733.55 million in revenue for the quarter ended March 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 10.2%. EPS of $0.32 for the same period compares to $0.56 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +6.53% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $688.59 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.29, the EPS surprise was +9.1%.

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: 92.5 thousands of barrels of oil per day versus the six-analyst average estimate of 85.85 thousands of barrels of oil per day.
• Production - Net natural gas liquids - Barrels per day - Total: 10.68 thousands of barrels of oil per day compared to the 10.25 thousands of barrels of oil per day average estimate based on five analysts.
• Production - Net natural gas - including NCI - cubic feet per day - Total: 461.24 millions of cubic feet per day versus the five-analyst average estimate of 449.79 millions of cubic feet per day.
• Total net hydrocarbons - excluding NCI: 174.24 KBOE/D versus 170.76 KBOE/D estimated by five analysts on average.
• Production - Net natural gas - including NCI - cubic feet per day - Onshore - United States: 33.08 millions of cubic feet per day versus 29.78 millions of cubic feet per day estimated by three analysts on average.
• Revenues- Exploration and production- Canada: $155.2 million versus $182.8 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -6.3% change.
• Revenues- Exploration and production- United States: $575.5 million compared to the $521.18 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +13% year over year.
• Net natural gas revenue- Total: $119.97 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $123.95 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +17.4%.
• Revenues and other income- Revenue from sales to customers- Revenue from production: $732.35 million compared to the $707.94 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +8.9% year over year.
• Revenues and other income- Revenue from sales to customers- Total: $732.35 million compared to the $705.52 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +8.9% year over year.
• Net natural gas liquids revenue- Total: $16.96 million versus $19.98 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -13% change.
• Net crude oil and condensate revenue- Total: $595.43 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $565.1 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +8.1%.

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

Shares of Murphy Oil have returned -2.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +10.3% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.