AK Steel Holding (NYSE: AKS) reported earnings on April 23. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), AK Steel Holding met expectations on revenues and exceeded expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue shrank. GAAP loss per share contracted.

Margins increased across the board.

Revenue details
AK Steel Holding reported revenue of $1.37 billion. The 13 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ predicted revenue of $1.37 billion on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 9.2% lower than the prior-year quarter's $1.51 billion.

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 -$0.07. The 14 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ averaged -$0.11 per share. GAAP EPS were -$0.07 for Q1 versus -$0.11 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 8.6%, 200 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 2.4%, 210 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -0.7%, 10 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $1.49 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is -$0.07.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $5.75 billion. The average EPS estimate is -$0.16.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a two-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 854 members out of 942 rating the stock outperform, and 88 members rating it underperform. Among 164 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 143 give AK Steel Holding a green thumbs-up, and 21 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on AK Steel Holding is hold, with an average price target of $5.48.

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