Vale (NYSE: VALE) reported earnings on Feb. 28. Here are the numbers you need to know.

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

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

Margins shrank across the board.

Revenue details
 Vale chalked up revenue of $11.72 billion. The 11 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ looked for sales of $11.45 billion on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 10% higher than the prior-year quarter's $14.56 billion.

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 $0.38. The 12 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated $0.43 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.38 for Q4 were 59% lower than the prior-year quarter's $0.93 per share. GAAP EPS were -$0.33 for Q4 compared to $0.86 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 38.8%, much worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 19.6%, much worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -13.2%, much worse than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $11.61 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.60.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $49.35 billion. The average EPS estimate is $2.24.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 6,399 members out of 6,567 rating the stock outperform, and 168 members rating it underperform. Among 1,131 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 1,091 give Vale a green thumbs-up, and 40 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Vale is outperform, with an average price target of $22.26.

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