MEMC Electronic Materials Beats on Both Top and Bottom Lines

MEMC Electronic Materials (NYSE: WFR  ) reported earnings on Feb. 13. Here are the numbers you need to know.

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

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

Margins expanded across the board.

Revenue details
MEMC Electronic Materials logged revenue of $704.3 million. The 15 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ expected sales of $668.9 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 16% lower than the prior-year quarter's $717.8 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 $0.08. The 18 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ forecast $0.00 per share. GAAP EPS were -$0.05 for Q4 against -$6.45 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 18.0%, 1,270 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 4.1%, 1,360 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -2.0%, 20,480 basis points better than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $565.5 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is -$0.06.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $2.91 billion. The average EPS estimate is $0.24.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 1,791 members out of 1,860 rating the stock outperform, and 69 members rating it underperform. Among 379 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 360 give MEMC Electronic Materials a green thumbs-up, and 19 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on MEMC Electronic Materials is hold, with an average price target of $4.26.

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