Have you been eager to see how The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) performed in Q4 in comparison with the market expectations? Let’s quickly scan through the key facts from this San Francisco-based brokerage company’s earnings release this morning:

An Earnings Beat

Schwab came out with earnings per share of 25 cents, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 24 cents.

Strong top line growth was partially offset by higher expenses.

How Was the Estimate Revision Trend?

You should note that the earnings estimate revisions for Schwab have remained stable over the last 7 days.

Also, Schwab doesn’t have a decent earnings surprise history. Before posting an earnings miss/beat in Q4, the company delivered positive surprises in just one of the prior three quarters. Overall, the company surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by an average of 4.65% in the trailing four quarters.

Revenue Came In Higher Than Expected   

Schwab posted net revenues of $1,551 million, which significantly beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,530 million. However, it compared favorably with the year-ago number of $1,435 million.

Key Statistics:

A steady focus on serving investor needs has helped Schwab’s business grow to $2.46 trillion in client assets by 2014.

The company surpassed its targets for 2014. The company’s revenues grew in double digits, exceeding its guidance of mid-to-high single-digit rise.

What Zacks Rank Says

The estimate revisions that we discussed earlier have driven a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Schwab. However, since the latest earnings performance is yet to be reflected in the estimate revisions, the rank is subject to change. While things apparently look favorable, it all depends on what sense the just-released report makes to the analysts.

How the Market Reacted So Far

Following the earnings release, Schwab shares were up nearly 2% in the pre-trading session. This is in contrary to what the stock witnessed in the prior-day’s session. Clearly, the initial reaction shows that the investors have considered the results in their favor. However, the full-session’s price movement may indicate a different picture.