IPC The Hospitalist (Nasdaq: IPCM) reported earnings on Feb. 21. Here are the numbers you need to know.

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

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

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

Revenue details
 IPC The Hospitalist reported revenue of $137.6 million. The 12 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated revenue of $134.6 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 17% higher than the prior-year quarter's $117.9 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 $0.50. The 13 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated $0.48 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.50 for Q4 were 2.0% lower than the prior-year quarter's $0.51 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 27.1%, 20 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 10.0%, 10 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 6.1%, 120 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $149.6 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.55.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $599.6 million. The average EPS estimate is $2.19.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 71 members out of 75 rating the stock outperform, and four members rating it underperform. Among 17 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 17 give IPC The Hospitalist 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 IPC The Hospitalist is outperform, with an average price target of $39.09.

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