Axiall Goes Red

Updated

Axiall (NYS: AXLL) reported earnings on May 7. Here are the numbers you need to know.

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

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


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

Revenue details
Axiall reported revenue of $1.06 billion. The seven analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated sales of $1.12 billion on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 23% higher than the prior-year quarter's $859.9 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 $0.75. The nine earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted $1.18 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.75 for Q1 were 5.1% lower than the prior-year quarter's $0.79 per share. GAAP EPS were -$0.06 for Q1 against $1.01 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 15.3%, 330 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 7.0%, 50 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -0.3%, 440 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $1.34 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $1.50.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $4.95 billion. The average EPS estimate is $5.19.

Investor sentiment

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Axiall is outperform, with an average price target of $61.38.

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The article Axiall Goes Red 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.

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