For the quarter ended September 2024, Apple (AAPL) reported revenue of $94.93 billion, up 6.1% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.64, compared to $1.46 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $94.56 billion, representing a surprise of +0.39%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +10.07%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.49.

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

• Geographic Revenue- Greater China: $15.03 billion compared to the $16.34 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -0.3% year over year.

• Geographic Revenue- Europe: $24.92 billion compared to the $24.17 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +11% year over year.

• Geographic Revenue- Rest of Asia Pacific: $7.38 billion compared to the $6.98 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +16.6% year over year.

• Geographic Revenue- Japan: $5.93 billion versus $5.99 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +7.7% change.

• Geographic Revenue- Americas: $41.66 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $41.59 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +3.9%.

• Net Sales- Products: $69.96 billion compared to the $68.92 billion average estimate based on seven analysts. The reported number represents a change of +4.1% year over year.

• Net Sales- Services: $24.97 billion versus $25.76 billion estimated by seven analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +11.9% change.

• Revenue- Mac: $7.74 billion versus $7.43 billion estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +1.7% change.

• Revenue- iPhone: $46.22 billion versus the six-analyst average estimate of $45.95 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +5.5%.

• Revenue- Wearables, Home and Accessories: $9.04 billion versus the six-analyst average estimate of $8.64 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -3%.

• Revenue- iPad: $6.95 billion versus $6.93 billion estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +7.9% change.

• Gross margin- Services: $18.49 billion versus the six-analyst average estimate of $18.85 billion.