NetScout Systems Beats on Both Top and Bottom Lines

Seth Jayson, The Motley Fool
Updated

NetScout Systems (NAS: NTCT) reported earnings on July 18. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
 For the quarter ended June 30 (Q1), NetScout Systems beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

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


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

Revenue details
 NetScout Systems reported revenue of $81.8 million. The 12 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ hoped for sales of $79.9 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 7.1% higher than the prior-year quarter's $76.4 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 $0.21. The 11 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ forecast $0.17 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.21 for Q1 were 11% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.19 per share. GAAP EPS of $0.12 were the same as 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 79.3%, 140 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 10.9%, 30 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 6.4%, 20 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
 Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $87.6 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.28.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $390.3 million. The average EPS estimate is $1.44.

Investor sentiment
 The stock has a five-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 122 members out of 133 rating the stock outperform, and 11 members rating it underperform. Among 33 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 31 give NetScout Systems 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 NetScout Systems is outperform, with an average price target of $28.09.

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The article NetScout Systems Beats on Both Top and Bottom Lines 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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