Vanguard Natural Resources (NYSE: VNR) reported earnings yesterday. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended Dec. 31 (Q4), Vanguard Natural Resources beat expectations on revenues and crushed expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue expanded significantly, and GAAP loss per share increased.

Margins contracted across the board.

Revenue details
Vanguard Natural Resources booked revenue of $86 million. The six analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ predicted sales of $83.8 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 5.2% lower than the prior-year quarter's $23.2 million.

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

EPS details
Non-GAAP EPS came in at $0.76. The eight earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated $0.50 per share on the same basis. GAAP EPS were -$0.42 for Q4 against -$0.21 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 -24.3%, 9,600 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was -140.1%, 13,410 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -69.3%, 4,500 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $78.4 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.40.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $340.2 million. The average EPS estimate is $1.83.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 231 members rating the stock outperform and 13 members rating it underperform. Among 70 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 68 give Vanguard Natural Resources a green thumbs-up, and two give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Vanguard Natural Resources is outperform, with an average price target of $32.40.

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