For the quarter ended December 2024, Murphy USA (MUSA) reported revenue of $4.71 billion, down 7.1% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $6.96, compared to $7.00 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.88 billion, representing a surprise of -3.45%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +8.24%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $6.43.
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 Murphy USA performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
- Total fuel contribution (including retail, PS&W and RINs) (cpg): 32.5 cents versus the three-analyst average estimate of 32.19 cents.
- PS&W including RINs contribution (cpg): 3.6 cents versus the three-analyst average estimate of 1.62 cents.
- Retail fuel volume - chain (Million gal): 1,196.8 Mgal compared to the 1,228.39 Mgal average estimate based on three analysts.
- Retail fuel margin (cpg): 28.9 cents versus the three-analyst average estimate of 30.56 cents.
- Retail fuel volume - per store (K gal SSS): 233.6 Kgal versus the two-analyst average estimate of 237.72 Kgal.
- Retail fuel volume - per store (K gal APSM): 237 Kgal versus 245.61 Kgal estimated by two analysts on average.
- Store count at end of period: 1,757 compared to the 1,762 average estimate based on two analysts.
- Fuel Contribution - Total retail fuel contribution: $345.80 million compared to the $385.35 million average estimate based on two analysts.
- Merchandise unit margin (%): 19.9% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 19.5%.
- Operating Revenues- Petroleum product sales: $3.62 billion compared to the $4.03 billion average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -9.6% year over year.
- Operating Revenues- Merchandise Sales: $1.05 billion compared to the $1.08 billion average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +3.2% year over year.
- Operating Revenues- Other operating revenues: $40.90 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $42.10 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -17.5%.
Shares of Murphy USA have returned +3.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.
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