Smithfield Foods (NYSE: SFD) reported earnings on March 7. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended Jan. 27 (Q3), Smithfield Foods beat slightly on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

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

Gross margins dropped, operating margins dropped, net margins were steady.

Revenue details
 Smithfield Foods logged revenue of $3.58 billion. The 12 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ wanted to see a top line of $3.51 billion on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were the same as the prior-year quarter's.

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 $0.58. The 12 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated $0.50 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.58 for Q3 were 18% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.49 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 9.2%, 180 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 3.6%, 200 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 2.3%, much about the same as the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $3.33 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.54.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $13.19 billion. The average EPS estimate is $2.09.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 206 members out of 245 rating the stock outperform, and 39 members rating it underperform. Among 88 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 76 give Smithfield Foods a green thumbs-up, and 12 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Smithfield Foods is hold, with an average price target of $25.75.

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