Niska Gas Storage Partners (NYSE: NKA) reported earnings on May 9. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended March 31 (Q4), Niska Gas Storage Partners whiffed on revenues and crushed expectations on earnings per share.

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

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

Revenue details
 Niska Gas Storage Partners notched revenue of $45.1 million. The four analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ wanted to see a top line of $65.4 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 44% lower than the prior-year quarter's $80.1 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 $0.79. The eight earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted $0.11 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.79 for Q4 were 61% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.49 per share. GAAP EPS were -$0.02 for Q4 against $0.22 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 83.8%, much better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 33.4%, 370 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -2.8%, much worse than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $51.0 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.27.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $208.2 million. The average EPS estimate is $0.67.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 120 members out of 129 rating the stock outperform, and nine members rating it underperform. Among 33 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 30 give Niska Gas Storage Partners 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 Niska Gas Storage Partners is hold, with an average price target of $11.08.

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