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The first wave of tax filings in 2019, as tracked by the IRS, reveal an early slump in volume versus 2018. Yet Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU), the small business and tax software provider that books a significant amount of annual profit in the first four months of each year, returned impressive results to shareholders nonetheless in its fiscal second-quarter earnings report released on Thursday.

In addition, management expressed confidence that filings would pick up in the remaining weeks of the current tax season. Below, we'll walk through the quarter's highlights and visit management's earnings outlook for both next quarter and the remainder of the fiscal year.

Note that in the discussion that follows, all comparative numbers refer to the prior-year quarter, the fiscal second quarter of 2018.

Intuit: The raw numbers

DATA SOURCE: INTUIT.

What happened with Intuit this quarter?

Image source: Getty Images.

• The company exceeded the top range of its previous revenue guidance, which anticipated 11% year-over-year growth for the quarter. Intuit's top-line performance was fueled by its small business ecosystem, which expanded revenue by 38%.

• QuickBooks Online (QBO) users likewise grew by 38%, ending the quarter at a total of 3.9 million subscribers.

• Non-U.S. QBO customers jumped 56% for a quarter-end subscriber tally of 980,000.

• Within the company's small business and self-employed group segment, management highlighted growth in its new small-business lending arm, QuickBooks Capital. The business has issued $277 million in loans cumulatively since its launch roughly one year ago.

• Within this segment, management also lauded growth in its new QuickBooks Advanced software, an accounting service aimed at middle market companies.

• Intuit reported that the current-year tax season is well off last year's pace, as was expected given the U.S. government shutdown and reopening, as well as a redesign of IRS Form 1040.

• Per management, IRS total e-files have decreased by 7.1% through Feb. 8, with assisted e-files down 12.5% and DIY (do-it-yourself) filings down 3.2%. In comparison, the company's DIY TurboTax product saw e-files drop 3.5% during the same period. Management expressed confidence in its overall strategy for the current season. Intuit will provide a final tax update in its fiscal third-quarter report in May.

• The company's strategic partner group, which provides professional tax preparation, reported revenue of $208 million, conforming to management's expectations.

• Intuit's operating margin increased by 1 percentage point, to 15.5%, as higher revenue offset an uptick in costs of services, as well as an increase in selling, marketing, and research and development expenses.

• Intuit repurchased $177 million worth of its own shares in the second quarter. So far in fiscal 2019, management has completed $274 million in share repurchases; $3 billion remains on the company's current buyback authorization.

• The company's board authorized a quarterly dividend increase of 21%, to $0.47. Intuit's dividend now yields 0.7% on an annualized basis.