Albemarle (NYSE: ALB) reported earnings on April 17. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Albemarle missed estimates on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue dropped. Non-GAAP earnings per share contracted significantly. GAAP earnings per share dropped significantly.

Margins shrank across the board.

Revenue details
 Albemarle reported revenue of $641.6 million. The 12 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ hoped for revenue of $677.4 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 9.8% lower than the prior-year quarter's $711.7 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 17 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted $1.01 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.93 for Q1 were 23% lower than the prior-year quarter's $1.20 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.94 for Q1 were 22% lower than the prior-year quarter's $1.20 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 31.1%, 370 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 17.9%, 180 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 13.1%, 210 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $689.1 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $1.22.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $2.82 billion. The average EPS estimate is $5.00.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 220 members out of 234 rating the stock outperform, and 14 members rating it underperform. Among 67 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 65 give Albemarle a green thumbs-up, and two give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Albemarle is outperform, with an average price target of $71.83.

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