Agnico-Eagle Mines Meets on the Top Line, Misses Where it Counts

Agnico-Eagle Mines (NYSE: AEM  ) reported earnings on Feb. 13. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended Dec. 31 (Q4), Agnico-Eagle Mines met expectations on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.

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

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

Revenue details
Agnico-Eagle Mines recorded revenue of $466.8 million. The seven analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ expected a top line of $468.5 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were the same as the prior-year quarter's.

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 $0.41. The 20 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted $0.45 per share. GAAP EPS were $0.48 for Q4 compared to -$3.53 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 48.1%, 190 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 23.1%, 20,240 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 17.7%, 14,970 basis points better than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $465.4 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.49.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $1.98 billion. The average EPS estimate is $2.36.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 1,115 members out of 1,198 rating the stock outperform, and 83 members rating it underperform. Among 226 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 193 give Agnico-Eagle Mines a green thumbs-up, and 33 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Agnico-Eagle Mines is hold, with an average price target of $59.57.

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