BRF - Brasil Foods (NYSE: BRFS) reported earnings on March 5. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended Dec. 31 (Q4), BRF - Brasil Foods beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue increased. Non-GAAP earnings per share grew significantly. GAAP earnings per share grew significantly.

Gross margins contracted, operating margins shrank, net margins grew.

Revenue details
 BRF - Brasil Foods reported revenue of $3.98 billion. The seven analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ hoped for revenue of $3.89 billion on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were the same as the prior-year quarter's.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

EPS details
 EPS came in at $0.33. The three earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ averaged $0.19 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.33 for Q4 were 57% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.21 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.32 for Q4 were 300% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.08 per share.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

Margin details
 For the quarter, gross margin was 25.7%, 170 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 7.4%, 100 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 6.9%, 520 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $3.65 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.17.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $15.96 billion. The average EPS estimate is $1.01.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 223 members out of 238 rating the stock outperform, and 15 members rating it underperform. Among 60 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 55 give BRF - Brasil Foods a green thumbs-up, and five give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on BRF - Brasil Foods is outperform, with an average price target of $20.47.

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