El Paso Pipeline Partners Misses Where It Counts

El Paso Pipeline Partners (NYSE: EPB  ) reported earnings on Wednesday. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), El Paso Pipeline Partners met expectations on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue grew slightly and GAAP earnings per share grew.

Margins increased across the board.

Revenue details
El Paso Pipeline Partners logged revenue of $367 million. The six analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ predicted sales of $365.5 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 2.5% higher than the prior-year quarter's $358 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 $0.44. The 12 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted $0.51 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.63 for Q2 were 6.8% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.59 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 72.8%, 190 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 55.0%, 110 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 35.4%, 300 basis points better than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $377.1 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.51.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $1.51 billion. The average EPS estimate is $2.11.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a five-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 267 members rating the stock outperform and four members rating it underperform. Among 81 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 79 give El Paso Pipeline Partners a green thumbs-up, and two give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on El Paso Pipeline Partners is outperform, with an average price target of $37.29.

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