Alliance Resource Partners (Nasdaq: ARLP) reported earnings on April 26. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Alliance Resource Partners beat expectations on revenues and crushed expectations on earnings per share.

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

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

Revenue details
 Alliance Resource Partners reported revenue of $548.1 million. The six analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ hoped for revenue of $529.5 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 24% higher than the prior-year quarter's $443.6 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 $1.95. The six earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted $1.37 per share. GAAP EPS of $1.95 for Q1 were 27% higher than the prior-year quarter's $1.54 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 36.3%, 260 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 20.5%, 20 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 13.4%, 50 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $546.7 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $1.44.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $2.18 billion. The average EPS estimate is $5.84.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a five-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 710 members out of 730 rating the stock outperform, and 20 members rating it underperform. Among 185 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 179 give Alliance Resource Partners a green thumbs-up, and six give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Alliance Resource Partners is outperform, with an average price target of $77.00.

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