For the quarter ended December 2022, Unum (UNM) reported revenue of $3 billion, up 0.4% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.43, compared to $0.89 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.04% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.46, the EPS surprise was -2.05%.

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

• Benefit Ratio - Unum US Group Life and Accidental Death: 78.2% versus 73.3% estimated by six analysts on average.

• Other Expense Ratio-U.S Group Life and AD&D: 13.5% versus the five-analyst average estimate of 12.15%.

• Other Expense Ratio-Colonial Life: 19.6% versus 19.16% estimated by four analysts on average.

• Benefit Ratio - Colonial Life Segment: 45% versus the four-analyst average estimate of 49.07%.

• Net Investment Income-Colonial Life: $37.30 million versus $38.87 million estimated by 18 analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -8.8% change.

• Net Investment Income-Unum International: $47.80 million versus the nine-analyst average estimate of $33.91 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +26.1%.

• Adjusted Operating Revenue - Unum US Supplemental and Voluntary - Net Investment Income: $55.20 million versus the nine-analyst average estimate of $57.83 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -6.9%.

• Total Premium Income-Unum International: $178.30 million versus the nine-analyst average estimate of $172.86 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +0.5%.

• Total Premium Income-Unum U.S: $1.58 billion versus $1.58 billion estimated by nine analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +3.4% change.

• Unum International-Adjusted Operating Revenue - Total: $226.30 million versus the nine-analyst average estimate of $206.84 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +5.1%.

• Adjusted Operating Revenue - Unum US Supplemental and Voluntary - Total: $441.40 million versus $460.30 million estimated by nine analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -2% change.

• Adjusted Operating Revenue - Unum US Supplemental and Voluntary - Other Income: $0.80 million compared to the $0.58 million average estimate based on nine analysts. The reported number represents a change of +700% year over year.

View all Key Company Metrics for Unum here>>>

Shares of Unum have returned +0.2% 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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