For the quarter ended September 2024, Lumen (LUMN) reported revenue of $3.22 billion, down 11.5% over the same period last year. EPS came in at -$0.13, compared to -$0.09 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.58% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.2 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being -$0.20, the EPS surprise was +35.00%.

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.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Lumen performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Public Sector- Total: $427 million versus $444.48 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -3.8% change.

• Fiber Broadband-Mass Markets Segment by Product Category: $190 million compared to the $189.17 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +17.3% year over year.

• Other Broadband-Mass Markets Segment by Product Category: $282 million versus $286.47 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -17.1% change.

• Voice and Other-Mass Markets Segment by Product Category: $213 million compared to the $206.94 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -13.1% year over year.

• Mid-Market Enterprise- Total: $471 million versus $473.79 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -5.4% change.

• Operating Revenues- Total Business Segment Revenue: $2.54 billion versus $2.52 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -12.4% change.

• Operating Revenues- Total Mass Markets Revenue: $685 million compared to the $682.58 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -8.3% year over year.

• Operating Revenues- Total Business Segment Revenue- Wholesale: $706 million compared to the $711.27 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -8.3% year over year.

• Large Enterprise- Total: $839 million compared to the $832.32 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -29% year over year.

• Operating revenues- International and Other- Total: $93 million versus $58.05 million estimated by two analysts on average.