Global Payments (NYSE: GPN) reported earnings on Jan. 8. Here are the numbers you need to know.

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

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

Gross margins contracted, operating margins expanded, net margins grew.

Revenue details
 Global Payments reported revenue of $588.5 million. The 25 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ looked for net sales of $571.6 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 11% higher than the prior-year quarter's $530.5 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 $0.93. The 29 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated $0.87 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.89 for Q2 were 14% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.78 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 64.3%, 70 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 19.8%, 160 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 11.9%, 40 basis points better than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $575.7 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.88.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $2.39 billion. The average EPS estimate is $3.63.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 239 members out of 266 rating the stock outperform, and 27 members rating it underperform. Among 90 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 84 give Global Payments a green thumbs-up, and six 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 $50.20.

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