Simcere Pharmaceutical Group. (NYSE: SCR) reported earnings on March 7. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended Dec. 31 (Q4), Simcere Pharmaceutical Group. met expectations on revenues and exceeded expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue grew. Non-GAAP earnings per share expanded significantly. GAAP earnings per share dropped to a loss.

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

Revenue details
 Simcere Pharmaceutical Group. logged revenue of $86.8 million. The two analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ predicted a top line of $88.1 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 6.9% higher than the prior-year quarter's $81.1 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 $0.19. The one earnings estimate compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted $0.00 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.19 for Q4 were 171% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.07 per share. GAAP EPS were -$0.06 for Q4 against $0.12 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 81.1%, 120 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 3.5%, 610 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -3.9%, much worse than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
 On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.08.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $374.4 million. The average EPS estimate is $0.37.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 219 members out of 229 rating the stock outperform, and 10 members rating it underperform. Among 42 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 39 give Simcere Pharmaceutical Group. a green thumbs-up, and three give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Simcere Pharmaceutical Group. is hold, with an average price target of $8.53.