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Advance Auto Parts (AAP - Free Report) reported $2.72 billion in revenue for the quarter that ended September 2023, representing a year-over-year increase of 2.9%. EPS of -$0.82 for the same period compares to $2.84 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.68 billion, representing a surprise of +1.48%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -157.75%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.42.

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

• Comparable store sales - YoY change: 1.2% compared to the 0.4% average estimate based on eight analysts.
• Number of stores (Retail) - Total: 5,105 versus the three-analyst average estimate of 5,119.
• Number of stores opened: 12 versus the two-analyst average estimate of 10.
• Number of stores - AAP: 4,477 compared to the 4,482 average estimate based on two analysts.
• Number of stores (BOP): 5,109 compared to the 5,109 average estimate based on two analysts.
• Number of stores - WORLDPAC: 320 versus 322 estimated by two analysts on average.

Shares of Advance Auto Parts have returned +6.8% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +4% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.

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