For the quarter ended October 2023, Toll Brothers (TOL) reported revenue of $3.02 billion, down 18.6% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $4.11, compared to $4.67 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.78 billion, representing a surprise of +8.62%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +12.30%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $3.66.

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

• Closed/Delivered - Units: 2,755 compared to the 2,707 average estimate based on five analysts.

• Backlog - Units: 6,578 versus the five-analyst average estimate of 6,672.

• Average delivered price (Total Average Price Per Unit): $1,071.50 versus the five-analyst average estimate of $1,012.

• Net contracts - Units: 2,038 versus the five-analyst average estimate of 2,084.

• Average Backlog Price: $1,055.80 compared to the $1,067.12 average estimate based on three analysts.

• Number of Selling Communities: 370 compared to the 375 average estimate based on three analysts.

• Backlog - Value: $6.95 billion versus $7.02 billion estimated by two analysts on average.

• Revenues- Home Sales: $2.95 billion compared to the $2.75 billion average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of -17.6% year over year.

• Revenues- Land sales: $68.24 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $39.56 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -48%.

• Gross Margin- Home sales: $810.38 million versus $734.45 million estimated by four analysts on average.

• Gross Margin- Land sales and other: -$10.35 million versus $1.47 million estimated by three analysts on average.

View all Key Company Metrics for Toll Brothers here>>>

Shares of Toll Brothers have returned +8.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +5.1% 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.