Optimer Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: OPTR) reported earnings on May 9. Here are the numbers you need to know.

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

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

Gross margins contracted, operating margins increased, net margins shrank.

Revenue details
 Optimer Pharmaceuticals reported revenue of $19.4 million. The nine analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ foresaw revenue of $21.3 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 35% higher than the prior-year quarter's $14.4 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 -$0.65. The 10 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted -$0.48 per share. GAAP EPS were -$0.65 for Q1 compared to -$0.23 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 83.1%, 100 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was -162.0%, much better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -161.2%, much worse than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $21.5 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is -$0.58.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $92.5 million. The average EPS estimate is -$2.12.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a one-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 105 members out of 145 rating the stock outperform, and 40 members rating it underperform. Among 40 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 26 give Optimer Pharmaceuticals a green thumbs-up, and 14 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Optimer Pharmaceuticals is outperform, with an average price target of $17.50.