For the quarter ended March 2025, AutoNation (AN) reported revenue of $6.69 billion, up 3.2% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $4.68, compared to $4.49 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.58 billion, representing a surprise of +1.75%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +7.59%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $4.35.

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

• Retail vehicle unit sales - Total: 130,387 versus the four-analyst average estimate of 130,986.
• Revenue per vehicle retailed - New: $52,064 versus the four-analyst average estimate of $49,511.63.
• Revenue per vehicle retailed - Used: $26,354 compared to the $26,615.79 average estimate based on four analysts.
• Gross profit per vehicle retailed - Finance and insurance: $2,703 versus the four-analyst average estimate of $2,577.65.
• Retail vehicle unit sales - Used: 68,000 versus 69,697 estimated by four analysts on average.
• Revenue- Parts and service: $1.16 billion compared to the $1.23 billion average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of -0.7% year over year.
• Revenue- Finance and insurance net: $352.50 million compared to the $334.90 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +5.3% year over year.
• Revenue- Used Vehicle: $1.92 billion versus the five-analyst average estimate of $1.95 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -3.7%.
• Revenue- New Vehicle: $3.25 billion compared to the $2.99 billion average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +9% year over year.
• Revenue- Other: $3.40 million versus $6.35 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +6.3% change.
• Revenue- Used Vehicle- Retail used vehicle: $1.79 billion compared to the $1.77 billion average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -2.3% year over year.
• Revenue- Used Vehicle- Wholesale: $130.30 million compared to the $160.57 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -19.7% year over year.

View all Key Company Metrics for AutoNation here>>>

Shares of AutoNation have returned +6.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -4.8% 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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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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