Coca-Cola Bottling (Nasdaq: COKE) reported earnings on March 6. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended Dec. 31 (Q4), Coca-Cola Bottling beat slightly on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue grew. Non-GAAP earnings per share shrank significantly. GAAP earnings per share didn't change.

Gross margins dropped, operating margins contracted, net margins were steady.

Revenue details
 Coca-Cola Bottling reported revenue of $386.7 million. The one analyst polled by S&P Capital IQ looked for a top line of $379.9 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 $0.33. The two earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ forecast $0.56 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.33 for Q4 were 35% lower than the prior-year quarter's $0.51 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.20 were the same as 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 39.9%, 80 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 3.6%, 40 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 0.5%, much about the same as the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $386.7 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.81.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $1.65 billion. The average EPS estimate is $4.05.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 591 members out of 633 rating the stock outperform, and 42 members rating it underperform. Among 125 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 118 give Coca-Cola Bottling a green thumbs-up, and seven give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Coca-Cola Bottling is hold, with an average price target of $69.00.

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