For the quarter ended September 2024, Waste Connections (WCN) reported revenue of $2.34 billion, up 13.3% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.35, compared to $1.17 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.29 billion, representing a surprise of +2.18%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +3.85%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.30.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

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

• Geographic Revenues- Canada: $342.06 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $306.50 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +30%.

• Geographic Revenues- Southern: $453.22 million compared to the $460.36 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +9.6% year over year.

• Geographic Revenues- Central: $391.74 million compared to the $399.98 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +5.1% year over year.

• Geographic Revenues- Eastern: $407.67 million compared to the $396.16 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +15.5% year over year.

• Geographic Revenues- Western: $476.24 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $565.52 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +10.1%.

• Revenue Breakdown- E&P Waste Treatment, Recovery and Disposal: $147.28 million versus $98.71 million estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +151.7% change.

• Revenue Breakdown- Intermodal and Other: $46.88 million versus $45.58 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +4.5% change.

• Revenues- E&P: $154.20 million versus $75.86 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +148.5% change.

• Revenues- Intermodal and other: $47.34 million versus $51.12 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +5.2% change.

• Revenues- Intercompany: -$332.04 million compared to the -$326.29 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +12.7% year over year.

• Revenues- Total collection: $1.62 billion compared to the $1.67 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +7.2% year over year.

• Revenues- Recycling: $69.75 million compared to the $49.83 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +93.2% year over year.