Quantum Shares Popped: What You Need to Know (QTM)

Quantum Shares Popped: What You Need to Know

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Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of bulk storage specialist Quantum (NYSE: QTM ) are bulking up today, rising as much as 10.7% on above-average trading volume.

So what: Quantum's fourth-quarter report met analysts' earnings estimates on somewhat disappointing revenue, and management pointed to more of the same in the next quarter. The good news comes from the full-year 2012 guidance, where management sees a return to revenue growth after four straight years of shrinking sales.

Now what: This pop brought Quantum's one-year returns to a respectable yet market-lagging 13%. In a red-hot year for storage systems that saw EMC (NYSE: EMC ) shares gaining more than 50% and Dot Hill Systems (Nasdaq: HILL ) more than doubling, Quantum stayed cheap. Don't let the sky-high P/E ratio fool you here because the company is just barely profitable on a GAAP basis -- Quantum shares are much more affordable than value paragon EMC's if you look at forward estimates or enterprise value to EBITDA ratios instead.

Interested in more info on Quantum? Add it to your watchlist.

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Fool contributor Anders Bylund holds no position in any of the companies discussed here. The Motley Fool owns shares of EMC. 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 is investors writing for investors.

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