Editor's Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Wedge Partners issued lower guidance; the company doesn’t issue earnings estimates. The Fool regrets the error.
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 online genealogy expert Ancestry.com
So what: Analyst firm Wedge Partners just issued a cautious research note on Ancestry, highlighting that a recent change to subscription pricing probably wasn't factored into management guidance. After Wedge published its worries, Bank of America chimed in by calling the concerns "overdone." However, that applies more to the market reaction than to Wedge's research: "In my opinion ACOM's shares were undervalued prior to the publication of my note and I believe them to be even more so now," said Wedge analyst Ryan Hunter, who repeatedly pointed out the very minor top-line impact of the pricing change.
Now what: Raising short-term fees while offering long-term discounts looks like an attempt to lock customers into longer-term commitments, and Wedge worries about sticker shock on those longer contracts. These changes can cut both ways: Detractors see Netflix
The proof is in the pudding: Add Ancestry.com to My Watchlist.