Canadian Pacific (CP) Q4 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates

Canadian Pacific (CP) reported $1.81 billion in revenue for the quarter ended December 2022, representing a year-over-year increase of 12.1%. EPS of $0.81 for the same period compares to $0.75 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.83 billion, representing a surprise of -1.15%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +2.53%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.79.

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

• Operating Ratio: 59.8% versus the five-analyst average estimate of 54.89%.

• Carloads - Grain: 126.7 thousand compared to the 115.49 thousand average estimate based on three analysts.

• Carloads - Coal: 56.6 thousand compared to the 68.82 thousand average estimate based on three analysts.

• Carloads - Potash: 34.9 thousand versus the three-analyst average estimate of 42.51 thousand.

• Carloads - Fertilizers and Sulphur: 15 thousand compared to the 16.97 thousand average estimate based on three analysts.

• Carloads - Energy, Chemicals and Plastics: 76.2 thousand versus the three-analyst average estimate of 80.33 thousand.

• Carloads - Metals, Minerals and Consumer Products: 61.1 thousand versus the three-analyst average estimate of 62.69 thousand.

• Carloads - Automotive: 26.4 thousand versus 26.75 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.

• Carloads - Intermodal: 299 thousand compared to the 311.91 thousand average estimate based on three analysts.

• Carloads - Total: 713.7 thousand versus 744.69 thousand estimated by three analysts on average.

• Carloads - Forest Products: 17.8 thousand compared to the 18.9 thousand average estimate based on three analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for Canadian Pacific here>>>

Shares of Canadian Pacific have returned +3.7% 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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