Global Payments (NYSE: GPN) reported earnings on Jan. 5. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended Nov. 30 (Q2), Global Payments beat slightly on revenues and missed on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue grew significantly, and earnings per share improved significantly.

Margins dropped across the board.

Revenue details
Global Payments recorded revenue of $531 million. The 26 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated net sales of $524 million. Sales were 20% higher than the prior-year quarter's $444 million.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions.

EPS details
EPS came in at $0.78. The 28 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated $0.80 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.78 for Q2 were 17% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.66 per share.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Figures may be non-GAAP to maintain comparability with estimates.

Margin details
For the quarter, gross margin was 65.0%, 20 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 18.2%, 50 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 11.5%, 60 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods.

Looking ahead
What does the future hold?

Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $529 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.76.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $2.2 billion. The average EPS estimate is $3.22.

Investor Sentiment
The stock has a four-star rating out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 234 members out of 259 rating the stock outperform, and 25 members rating it underperform. Among 91 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 86 give Global Payments a green thumbs-up, and five 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 $51.41.