Exide Technologies (Nasdaq: XIDE) reported earnings on Feb. 6. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended Dec. 31 (Q3), Exide Technologies beat expectations on revenues and missed expectations on earnings per share.

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

Margins dropped across the board.

Revenue details
 Exide Technologies reported revenue of $804.9 million. The four analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ expected revenue of $770.3 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 $0.00. The two earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted $0.11 per share. GAAP EPS were -$0.20 for Q3 versus $0.84 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 14.9%, 120 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 2.5%, 140 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -1.9%, 1,060 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $763.2 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.11.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $2.94 billion. The average EPS estimate is -$1.03.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 403 members out of 418 rating the stock outperform, and 15 members rating it underperform. Among 90 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 85 give Exide Technologies 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 Exide Technologies is outperform, with an average price target of $4.13.

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