Charles River Laboratories (CRL) reported $1.01 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2024, representing a year-over-year decline of 1.6%. EPS of $2.59 for the same period compares to $2.72 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +3.33% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $977.22 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.43, the EPS surprise was +6.58%.

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

• Revenues- Research Models and Services: $197.82 million versus $193.20 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +5.9% change.

• Revenues- Discovery and safety assessment: $615.06 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $597.30 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -7.4%.

• Revenues- Manufacturing support: $196.88 million versus $188.12 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +12% change.

• Revenues- Services: $832.46 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $802.67 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -4.3%.

• Revenues- Products: $177.30 million versus $169.97 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +13% change.

• Operating income- Research Models and Services Non-GAAP: $41.60 million compared to the $46.02 million average estimate based on three analysts.

• Operating income- Discovery and safety assessment - Non-GAAP: $168.56 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $143.46 million.

• Operating income- Manufacturing support - Non-GAAP: $56.53 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $49.98 million.

• Operating income- Unallocated Corporate Overhead: -$66.24 million versus -$53.31 million estimated by three analysts on average.

• Operating income- Research Models and Services: $27.54 million compared to the $31.41 million average estimate based on two analysts.

• Operating income- Discovery and safety assessment: $126.44 million compared to the $119.02 million average estimate based on two analysts.

• Operating income- Manufacturing support: $40.19 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $39.63 million.