Natural Resource Partners (NYSE: NRP) reported earnings on Nov. 5. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended Sep. 30 (Q3), Natural Resource Partners beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

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

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

Revenue details
 Natural Resource Partners logged revenue of $94.2 million. The six analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ predicted revenue of $85.8 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 8.3% lower than the prior-year quarter's $102.7 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 $0.48. The seven earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted $0.42 per share. GAAP EPS were $0.48 for Q3 against -$0.27 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 93.8%, 540 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 69.7%, 170 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 55.2%, 8,370 basis points better than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $83.5 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.41.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $355.3 million. The average EPS estimate is $1.76.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 363 members out of 387 rating the stock outperform, and 24 members rating it underperform. Among 118 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 110 give Natural Resource Partners a green thumbs-up, and eight give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Natural Resource Partners is outperform, with an average price target of $27.67.

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