First Financial Corp. (THFF) reported $61.82 million in revenue for the quarter ended December 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 21.6%. EPS of $1.37 for the same period compares to $1.06 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +6.76% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $57.9 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.29, the EPS surprise was +6.20%.

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 First Financial Corp. performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Net Interest Margin: 3.9% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 3.8%.
• Efficiency Ratio: 63% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 61.9%.
• Total Non Interest Income: $12.21 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $10.80 million.
• Gain on sale of mortgage loans: $0.27 million compared to the $0.30 million average estimate based on two analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for First Financial Corp. here>>>

Shares of First Financial Corp. have returned +6.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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