The digital consumer bank Ally Financial (NYSE: ALLY), which specializes in auto lending, has had a tough year, with its stock falling about 50% in 2022. That drop came despite the bank putting up excellent returns since the pandemic, buoyed by surging demand for new and used vehicles brought on by the chip shortage from the pandemic. 

But investors tend to buy based on future performance, and the market is increasingly concerned that a tougher economy and a slowdown in the used vehicle market could result in Ally experiencing heavy loan losses. Investors will be paying attention to fourth-quarter earnings results closely when they are released on Jan. 20. Here are the most important numbers I'll be watching.

At one point in 2022, used car prices had shot up more than 60% from pre-pandemic levels due to the shortage of inventory as normal life more or less resumed from the initial stages of the pandemic.

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Source Fool.com