Zale (NYSE: ZLC) reported earnings on May 22. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended April 30 (Q3), Zale met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

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

Margins grew across the board.

Revenue details
Zale logged revenue of $442.7 million. The four analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ hoped for revenue of $440.1 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 $0.13. The seven earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ forecast -$0.01 per share. GAAP EPS were $0.13 for Q3 compared to -$0.14 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 52.6%, 130 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 2.2%, 90 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 1.1%, 210 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $407.1 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is -$0.28.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $1.88 billion. The average EPS estimate is $0.15.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a one-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 109 members out of 236 rating the stock outperform, and 127 members rating it underperform. Among 72 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 29 give Zale a green thumbs-up, and 43 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Zale is buy, with an average price target of $7.25.

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