Green Plains Renewable Energy (Nasdaq: GPRE) reported earnings on April 30. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Green Plains Renewable Energy missed estimates on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

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

Margins expanded across the board.

Revenue details
 Green Plains Renewable Energy booked revenue of $765.5 million. The five analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ foresaw revenue of $789.1 million 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 $0.08. The seven earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted -$0.07 per share. GAAP EPS were $0.08 for Q1 against -$0.39 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 3.6%, 250 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 1.7%, 310 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 0.3%, 190 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $809.4 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.04.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $3.22 billion. The average EPS estimate is $0.51.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a two-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 86 members out of 139 rating the stock outperform, and 53 members rating it underperform. Among 39 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 20 give Green Plains Renewable Energy a green thumbs-up, and 19 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Green Plains Renewable Energy is outperform, with an average price target of $11.33.

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