Global Payments (NYSE: GPN) reported earnings on April 2. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended Feb. 28 (Q3), Global Payments met expectations on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.

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

Margins contracted across the board.

Revenue details
 Global Payments reported revenue of $578.7 million. The 24 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ expected net sales of $577.5 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 8.5% higher than the prior-year quarter's $533.5 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 $0.87. The 27 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ forecast $0.89 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.87 for Q3 were 19% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.73 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.75 for Q3 were 2.7% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.73 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 62.4%, 120 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 15.7%, 160 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 10.1%, 80 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $634.1 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $1.01.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $2.39 billion. The average EPS estimate is $3.69.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 243 members out of 270 rating the stock outperform, and 27 members rating it underperform. Among 93 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 86 give Global Payments a green thumbs-up, and seven give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Global Payments is outperform, with an average price target of $54.20.

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