What happened
Shares of Netgear (NTGR 2.31%) were down 13.1% as of 12:45 p.m. EST Tuesday after Amazon (AMZN 3.89%) agreed to acquire a privately held competitor in the home-networking space.
Yesterday after the market closed, Amazon announced it will acquire Eero, a provider of mesh Wi-Fi systems capable of essentially "blanketing" homes with reliable wireless coverage, for an undisclosed sum.
Image source: Getty Images.
So what
The news is disconcerting for Netgear investors on two fronts. First, it means Amazon will be moving into one of Netgear's bread-and-butter niches. For perspective, last quarter Netgear's connected come products (CHP) segment saw revenue climb 5.9% year over year, to $203.5 million, representing over 70% of its total sales.
Second, Amazon's purchase quells speculation that Netgear may be an acquisition candidate itself -- an idea that gained traction after Netgear completed its spinoff of wireless security camera specialist Arlo Technologies last month.
Check out the latest Netgear earnings call transcript.
Now what
In any case, this doesn't mean Netgear is a doomed business. The company still enjoys a broad distribution network, a strong product portfolio, and good rapport with consumers. But given an up-and-coming competitor now has access to Amazon's reach and financial resources, it's no surprise to see shares falling today.
