The stock market finished the week strong on Friday, with major benchmarks gaining close to 1%. Once again, stocks bounced back from poor performance early in the session, this time buoyed by hopes that the G-20 summit in Argentina will lead to progress in the ongoing trade negotiations between the U.S. and China. In addition, even though earnings season is largely over, the few companies that had yet to report generally had positive things to say. Ambarella (AMBA 3.18%), Splunk (SPLK), and EQGP Holdings (NYSE: EQGP) were among the best performers on the day. Here's why they did so well.
Investors think Ambarella's on the right track
Ambarella's stock soared 19% after the company reported its fiscal third-quarter financial results late Thursday. The numbers weren't pretty for the imaging technology specialist, including a 36% drop in revenue from year-ago levels and a plunge of more than 75% in adjusted net income for the quarter. Ambarella admitted that its consumer electronics business is under pressure, but CEO Fermi Wang said that the company is "very encouraged with our strategy and position at the forefront of the nascent computer vision market." If business from surveillance camera companies and other users picks up, then Ambarella might well have found a path forward after a difficult period for the company.
Image source: Ambarella.
Splunk keeps growing
Shares of Splunk were higher by 10% following the release of the company's third-quarter financial report. The enterprise data and intelligence specialist said revenue jumped 40% from year-earlier levels, with a nearly 50% rise in sales from software products. Splunk said it signed up more than 500 new customers during the quarter, and guidance for the fourth quarter was also encouraging. With a four-year history of outpacing the expectations investors had set for it, Splunk seems to be on the right track to sustain its growth for the foreseeable future.
EQGP gets an offer it can't refuse
Finally, equity units of EQGP Holdings closed higher by 17.5%. The midstream energy master limited partnership agreed to have all of its units purchased by Equitrans Midstream (ETRN 4.27%). Equitrans already had a commanding stake in EQGP, and it had made further deals with private investment companies to acquire a substantial portion of the units it didn't already hold. Under the terms of the limited partnership, unitholders will receive $20 per unit, the same amount that the private investors are set to receive. The net result will be a slightly simpler capital structure for Equitrans, but EQGP unitholders are the ones getting the reward today.
