For the quarter ended September 2024, Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO) reported revenue of $983.76 million, down 4.8% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $2.14, compared to $2.40 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +1.41% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $970.1 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.05, the EPS surprise was +4.39%.

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.

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

• Net Sales- The Harris Products Group: $130.51 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $124.76 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +3.6%.

• Net Sales- International Welding: $216.22 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $213.95 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -10.7%.

• Net Sales- Americas Welding: $637.03 million versus $626.40 million estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -4.2% change.

• Total Sales- The Harris Products Group: $133.66 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $125.39 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +4.2%.

• Total Sales- International Welding: $223.60 million versus $215.39 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -9.4% change.

• Inter-segment sales- Americas Welding: $30.85 million versus $29.89 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +6.8% change.

• Inter-segment sales- International Welding: $7.37 million versus $5.48 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +50.6% change.

• Inter-segment sales- The Harris Products Group: $3.16 million compared to the $2.45 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +37.2% year over year.

• Total Sales- Americas Welding: $667.87 million compared to the $652.23 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -3.8% year over year.

• Total Sales- Corporate and Elimination: -$41.37 million compared to the -$37.82 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +14.7% year over year.

• Adjusted EBIT- Americas Welding: $125.52 million compared to the $121.58 million average estimate based on five analysts.

• Adjusted EBIT- Corporate/Eliminations: $4.50 million compared to the -$3.03 million average estimate based on five analysts.