Acuity Brands (NYSE: AYI) reported earnings on July 2. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended May 31 (Q3), Acuity Brands beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

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

Gross margins shrank, operating margins were steady, net margins contracted.

Revenue details
 Acuity Brands tallied revenue of $541.5 million. The 13 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ hoped for sales of $518.4 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 11% higher than the prior-year quarter's $487.5 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 $0.97. The 13 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ averaged $0.87 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.97 for Q3 were 18% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.82 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.73 for Q3 were 7.6% lower than the prior-year quarter's $0.79 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 40.8%, 60 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 12.1%, much about the same as the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 5.9%, 100 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $568.9 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $1.01.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $2.08 billion. The average EPS estimate is $3.26.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 199 members out of 215 rating the stock outperform, and 16 members rating it underperform. Among 71 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 67 give Acuity Brands a green thumbs-up, and four give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Acuity Brands is hold, with an average price target of $73.20.

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