Hercules Offshore Beats Up on Analysts Yet Again

Hercules Offshore (Nasdaq: HERO  ) reported earnings on Feb. 9. Here are the numbers you need to know.

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

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue shrank, and GAAP loss per share contracted.

Gross margins contracted, operating margins dropped, and net margins increased.

Revenue details
Hercules Offshore recorded revenue of $162.8 million. The 12 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ predicted sales of $158.6 million. GAAP sales were 5.5% lower than the prior-year quarter's $172.3 million.

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 -$0.16. The 18 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ averaged -$0.19 per share. GAAP EPS were -$0.16 for Q4 compared to -$0.73 per share for the prior-year quarter.

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 31.0%, 1,700 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was -6.2%, 1,040 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -13.2%, 3,590 basis points better than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $158.7 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is -$0.18.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $715.4 million. The average EPS estimate is -$0.39.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 1,582 members rating the stock outperform and 71 members rating it underperform. Among 470 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 460 give Hercules Offshore a green thumbs-up, and 10 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Hercules Offshore is hold, with an average price target of $5.36.

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