Friday was a solid day on Wall Street, with market participants trying to figure out how to react to the latest reading on the employment picture. The U.S. economy created fewer jobs than expected in August, but many believe that might turn out to be a positive if it leads the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates further at future monetary policy meetings to avoid a potential recession. Most major benchmarks generally finished slightly higher, but a few individual stocks stood out for their larger gains. DocuSign (DOCU 5.26%), Endo International (ENDP +0.00%), and Guidewire Software (GWRE 8.21%) were among the top performers. Here's why they did so well.
DocuSign signs off on a great quarter
Shares of DocuSign climbed nearly 22% after the electronic document signature specialist reported its second-quarter financial results. DocuSign saw a 41% rise in total revenue compared to the year-earlier period, with subscription sales jumping 39% and professional services revenue soaring 72% year over year. Billings rose by 47% from year-earlier levels, and DocuSign posted a modest profit on an adjusted basis. The company also boosted its guidance, and that reflects the fact that customers are taking greater advantage of electronic document handling as cloud computing becomes more prevalent across the business community.
Image source: DocuSign.
Endo gets back to business
Endo International's stock skyrocketed 48% after the pharmaceutical company announced it had submitted a key treatment for regulatory approval. Endo submitted a biologics license application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration covering its collagenase clostridium histolyticum treatment for cellulite. The company had received positive results from two phase 3 trials of the drug, confirming that it led to significantly better results than a placebo. Now, the FDA will have to rule on whether Endo gave enough information to warrant a decision. Endo has struggled due to possible exposure to opioid liability, just yesterday reaching a settlement agreement with two Ohio counties, and so good news elsewhere in its business is a definite positive for investors.
Guidewire makes the grade
Finally, shares of Guidewire Software picked up 15%. The insurance software platform provider reported its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings. At first glance, Guidewire's immediate results looked poor, as sales fell 13% on significant drops in license and subscription revenue and services sales. Adjusted net income was down by roughly a quarter over the same period. However, investors had feared worse, and full-year results were solid, including a 10% rise in revenue and a better-than-20% jump in adjusted net income compared to 2018 levels. Guidewire also announced encouraging guidance for the coming fiscal year, and shareholders hope that the insurance software specialist will be able to keep tapping into demand from the financial community going forward.
