Bio-Reference Laboratories (Nasdaq: BRLI) reported earnings yesterday. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended Jan. 31 (Q1), Bio-Reference Laboratories beat expectations on revenues and crushed expectations on earnings per share.

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

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

Revenue details
Bio-Reference Laboratories notched revenue of $149.9 million. The five analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ foresaw revenue of $143.1 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 23% higher than the prior-year quarter's $121.7 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 $0.26. The five earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated $0.21 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.26 for Q1 were 7.1% lower than the prior-year quarter's $0.28 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 47.5%, 130 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 8.9%, 170 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 4.9%, 170 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $160.3 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.31.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $654.1 million. The average EPS estimate is $1.40.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 298 members rating the stock outperform and 16 members rating it underperform. Among 96 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 95 give Bio-Reference Laboratories a green thumbs-up, and one gives it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Bio-Reference Laboratories is outperform, with an average price target of $21.50.

Over the decades, small-cap stocks, like Bio-Reference Laboratories have provided market-beating returns, provided they're value priced and have solid businesses. Read about a pair of companies with a lock on their markets in "Too Small to Fail: Two Small Caps the Government Won't Let Go Broke." Click here for instant access to this free report.