Beam (NYSE: BEAM) reported earnings on Feb. 1. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended Dec. 31 (Q4), Beam beat slightly on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

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

Gross margins contracted, operating margins contracted, net margins increased.

Revenue details
 Beam booked revenue of $709.1 million. The seven analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ expected revenue of $698.7 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 11% higher than the prior-year quarter's $637.5 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 $0.67. The 12 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted $0.68 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.79 for Q4 were 34% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.59 per share. (The prior-year quarter included -$0.02 per share in earnings from discontinued operations.)

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 57.2%, 70 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 24.4%, 290 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 17.8%, 300 basis points better than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $582.2 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.55.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $2.66 billion. The average EPS estimate is $2.66.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 168 members out of 173 rating the stock outperform, and five members rating it underperform. Among 75 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 74 give Beam a green thumbs-up, and one give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Beam is hold, with an average price target of $62.54.

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