Why OraSure Technologies Shares Gushed Lower

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 oral fluid diagnostics company OraSure Technologies (NAS: OSUR) , known best for its OraQuick in-home HIV test, fell as much as 22% today to a new 52-week low after the company reported third-quarter earnings results.

So what: OraSure's third-quarter results weren't the problem so much as its fourth-quarter guidance. For the third quarter, OraSure reported a 2% increase in revenue to $22.1 million and a loss of $0.04 per share, $0.03 better than Wall Street had been expecting. The wheels fell off the bus when OraSure forecast a loss of $0.13-$0.15 per share on revenue of $20.5 million-$21 million in Q4. The Street's consensus was for a loss of $0.08 on $24 million in revenue.

Now what: I have a feeling that the majority of today's thumping comes less from the company's missed guidance and more from its poor explanation of how it arrived at next quarter's guidance. Looking at its third-quarter results, operating expenses fell and revenue rose modestly. While challenges were listed, including increased operating expenses from its DNAG acquisition and higher staffing costs, it's difficult to understand why sequential revenue growth will be so weak. I do believe I just talked myself into staying far, far away from OraSure Technologies in the meantime.

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The article Why OraSure Technologies Shares Gushed Lower originally appeared on Fool.com.

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