Praxair (NYSE: PX) reported earnings on April 24. Here are the numbers you need to know.

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

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue increased slightly. Non-GAAP earnings per share stayed the same. GAAP earnings per share dropped.

Gross margins expanded, operating margins shrank, net margins dropped.

Revenue details
 Praxair logged revenue of $2.89 billion. The 11 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ expected sales of $2.89 billion 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 $1.38. The 17 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted $1.38 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $1.38 were the same as the prior-year quarter. GAAP EPS of $1.30 for Q1 were 5.8% lower than the prior-year quarter's $1.38 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 43.3%, 20 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 21.6%, 40 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 13.5%, 130 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $3.02 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $1.50.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $12.02 billion. The average EPS estimate is $6.01.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 667 members out of 693 rating the stock outperform, and 26 members rating it underperform. Among 147 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 144 give Praxair 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 Praxair is outperform, with an average price target of $121.18.

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