KAR Auction Services (NYSE: KAR) reported earnings on May 7. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), KAR Auction Services met expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

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

Gross margins increased, operating margins shrank, net margins dropped.

Revenue details
 KAR Auction Services chalked up revenue of $506.9 million. The 10 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ predicted revenue of $503.9 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 5.0% higher than the prior-year quarter's $482.7 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 $0.31. The 10 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated $0.31 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.19 for Q1 were 34% lower than the prior-year quarter's $0.29 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 46.9%, 140 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 14.8%, 70 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 5.1%, 310 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $496.9 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.33.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $1.97 billion. The average EPS estimate is $1.17.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 20 members out of 23 rating the stock outperform, and three members rating it underperform. Among nine CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), nine give KAR Auction Services a green thumbs-up, and give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on KAR Auction Services is outperform, with an average price target of $18.79.

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