Panera Bread (Nasdaq: PNRA) reported earnings on Feb. 7. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended Dec. 27 (Q4), Panera Bread met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue improved significantly and GAAP earnings per share improved.

Gross margins improved, operating margins dropped, net margins dropped.

Revenue details
Panera Bread reported revenue of $495.8 million. The 19 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ hoped for revenue of $499.0 million. Sales were 16% higher than the prior-year quarter's $428.2 million.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions.

EPS details
Non-GAAP EPS came in at $1.42. The 23 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated $1.41 per share on the same basis. GAAP EPS of $1.31 for Q4 were 8.3% higher than the prior-year quarter's $1.21 per share.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Figures may be non-GAAP to maintain comparability with estimates.

Margin details
For the quarter, gross margin was 42.0%, 530 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 12.6%, 160 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 7.8%, 70 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $489.2 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $1.29.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $2.07 billion. The average EPS estimate is $5.53.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 1,240 members out of 1,381 rating the stock outperform, and 142 members rating it underperform. Among 489 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 460 give Panera Bread a green thumbs-up, and 29 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Panera Bread is outperform, with an average price target of $145.22.