Level 3 Communications Misses on Both Revenue and Earnings

Seth Jayson, The Motley Fool
Updated

Level 3 Communications (NYS: LVLT) reported earnings on April 25. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Level 3 Communications missed slightly on revenues and missed expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue contracted slightly. Non-GAAP loss per share contracted. GAAP loss per share dropped.


Margins expanded across the board.

Revenue details
 Level 3 Communications tallied revenue of $1.58 billion. The 14 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ hoped for revenue of $1.61 billion 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 -$0.13. The 12 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated -$0.10 per share. Non-GAAP EPS were -$0.13 for Q1 compared to -$0.30 per share for the prior-year quarter. GAAP EPS were -$0.36 for Q1 against -$0.66 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 60.1%, 150 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 9.8%, 130 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -4.9%, 380 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $1.60 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is -$0.05.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $6.41 billion. The average EPS estimate is -$0.14.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a two-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 1,822 members out of 1,954 rating the stock outperform, and 132 members rating it underperform. Among 229 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 202 give Level 3 Communications a green thumbs-up, and 27 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Level 3 Communications is outperform, with an average price target of $24.20.

Looking for alternatives to Level 3 Communications? It takes more than great companies to build a fortune for the future. Learn the basic financial habits of millionaires next door and get focused stock ideas in our free report, "3 Stocks That Will Help You Retire Rich." Click here for instant access to this free report.

The article Level 3 Communications Misses on Both Revenue and Earnings originally appeared on Fool.com.

Seth Jayson had no position in any company mentioned here at the time of publication. You can view his stock holdings here. He is co-advisor ofMotley Fool Hidden Gems, which provides new small-cap ideas every month, backed by a real-money portfolio. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Advertisement