Yingli Green Energy Holding Beats on the Top Line

Yingli Green Energy Holding (NYSE: YGE  ) reported earnings on March 4. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended Dec. 31 (Q4), Yingli Green Energy Holding crushed expectations on revenues and missed expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue grew. Non-GAAP loss per share grew. GAAP loss per share shrank.

Gross margins dropped, operating margins grew, net margins grew.

Revenue details
Yingli Green Energy Holding tallied revenue of $466.0 million. The 12 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ expected to see a top line of $360.9 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 14% higher than the prior-year quarter's $407.3 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 -$0.93. The seven earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ forecast -$0.42 per share. Non-GAAP EPS were -$0.93 for Q4 against -$0.19 per share for the prior-year quarter. GAAP EPS were -$1.28 for Q4 against -$3.87 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 -8.5%, much worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was -32.0%, much better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -43.0%, much better than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $349.3 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is -$0.25.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $1.66 billion. The average EPS estimate is -$0.98.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a two-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 1,538 members out of 1,635 rating the stock outperform, and 97 members rating it underperform. Among 244 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 213 give Yingli Green Energy Holding a green thumbs-up, and 31 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Yingli Green Energy Holding is hold, with an average price target of $2.10.

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