Why Acxiom Shares Sank

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 Acxiom have settled into a 6% loss today, after losing as much as 12% in early trading. Investors have reacted negatively to a mixed earnings report, which shows weak revenue for both the completed and the current quarter.

So what: Acxiom's revenue for its fiscal third quarter was reported at $273.1 million, below the $276.3 million expected by analysts. However, earnings per share topped the consensus, with Acxiom reporting $0.19 in adjusted EPS against the $0.16 sought by analysts. What seems to worry investors is that, in addition to a year-over-year revenue decline seen in the third quarter, Acxiom expects full-year revenue to be 2.5% below the prior year, at $1.1 billion -- very slightly lower than what analysts sought. Projected EPS for the full year matches the consensus estimate of $0.73.

Now what: Acxiom has already enjoyed a major growth spurt over the past half year, and it's now at multiyear highs. The company's muted guidance may be a good reason to jump out now before sentiment turns against the company, which has had erratic earnings for some time. Don't be rash, though -- dig deeper. Acxiom is still expecting a reasonable level of profit, and its P/E is as low as it's ever been.

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The article Why Acxiom Shares Sank originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Alex Planes holds no financial position in any company mentioned here. Add him on Google+ or follow him on Twitter @TMFBiggles for more news and insights. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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