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 specialty supplier Nordson (Nasdaq: NDSN) rose as much as 14% after the company posted better-than-expected quarterly results.
So what: Profits increased 18% for the adhesive maker as sales rose 22% with strong gains across all three business segments. Adjusted earnings per share of $1.06 beat analyst estimates by $0.07 while its $380 million in revenue came in well ahead of the $358 million the Street was looking for. The company also provided improved guidance of $0.98-$1.06 and better-than-expected sales for the next quarter. The brighter outlook was based in part on order rates increasing 15% over last year, and the company's backlog growing by a whopping 49%.
Now what: It's no surprise to see shares shoot through the roof after a quarter like that. Nordson appears to be firing on all cylinders, and as a cyclical business, that could be a good, albeit small, sign for the economy as a whole. The company's share price has now risen 60% in the last year, and shows little sign of fading with such growth in its backlog, and its high operating margins are a sign of a competitive advantage. In the near future, investors will want to pay special attention to its advanced technology systems segment, whose top line increased 33% organically in the last quarter. If the company can maintain a pace like that, this should continue to be a solid investment.
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