eBay sales jump 14% and beat Wall Street forecasts

eBay had a strong quarter. The online marketplace reported third-quarter revenue of $3.21 billion, up 14% from a year earlier. Analysts had expected $3.12 billion. The company's shares rose more than 4% in after-hours trading once the numbers came out.

What the numbers show

Revenue is the money eBay itself earns, mostly from fees and services. The other figure to know is gross merchandise volume, or GMV. That is the total value of everything sold on the site. GMV reached $23.17 billion, up 15% from a year ago. Analysts had expected $22.32 billion.

• Revenue: $3.21 billion, up 14%, versus $3.12 billion expected
• Goods sold (GMV): $23.17 billion, up 15%, versus $22.32 billion expected
• Shares: up more than 4% after hours

What eBay says

CEO Jamie Iannone said the platform is seeing broad-based momentum across its key categories. In plain terms, the growth is not coming from just one corner of the site. The report was covered by Kelly Cloonan of the Wall Street Journal.

Who it affects

If you sell on eBay, strong demand suggests a busy marketplace, which can mean more buyers looking at your listings. If you shop there, a busy site can also mean brisker competition for deals.

What is not known yet

The material available does not say which categories grew the most, what drove the jump, or what eBay expects for the next quarter. It also does not say whether the after-hours share gain held when regular trading resumed.