Chart Industries Beats on Both Top and Bottom Lines

Chart Industries (Nasdaq: GTLS  ) reported earnings on Feb. 28. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended Dec. 31 (Q4), Chart Industries beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

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

Gross margins dropped, operating margins contracted, net margins grew.

Revenue details
Chart Industries reported revenue of $303.9 million. The 12 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ wanted to see a top line of $277.6 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 38% higher than the prior-year quarter's $219.6 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 $0.80. The 13 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ averaged $0.75 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.80 for Q4 were 57% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.51 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.69 for Q4 were 146% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.28 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 28.1%, 120 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 10.8%, 110 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 6.8%, 300 basis points better than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $275.4 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.74.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $1.19 billion. The average EPS estimate is $3.52.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 381 members out of 394 rating the stock outperform, and 13 members rating it underperform. Among 80 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 77 give Chart Industries 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 Chart Industries is outperform, with an average price target of $79.08.

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