RF Micro Devices (Nasdaq: RFMD) reported earnings on April 24. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q4), RF Micro Devices beat slightly on revenues and missed expectations on earnings per share.

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

Margins shrank across the board.

Revenue details
RF Micro Devices reported revenue of $187.9 million. The 16 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ hoped for a top line of $185.2 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 12% lower than the prior-year quarter's $213.3 million.

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

EPS details
Non-GAAP EPS came in at -$0.02. The 15 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ forecast -$0.01 per share on the same basis. GAAP EPS were -$0.05 for Q4 against $0.08 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 30.1%, 530 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was -5.9%, 1,220 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -6.9%, 1,820 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $202.4 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.04.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $893.3 million. The average EPS estimate is $0.30.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 700 members out of 744 rating the stock outperform, and 44 members rating it underperform. Among 101 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 94 give RF Micro Devices a green thumbs-up, and seven give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on RF Micro Devices is outperform, with an average price target of $6.40.

Over the decades, small-cap stocks like RF Micro Devices have produced 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: 2 Small Caps the Government Won't Let Go Broke." Click here for instant access to this free report.