Why Fluidigm Shares Jumped

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 Fluidigm , a manufacturer of microfluidic systems for the biotech, pharmaceutical, and academic research sectors, shot higher by as much as 14% after reporting its first-quarter-earnings results.

So what: For the quarter, Fluidigm reported a 33% increase in revenue to $14.5 million as its net loss per share shrank to $0.14 -- $0.02 narrower than the Street had been forecasting. Instrument revenue grew 34% due to increased sales of its C1 Single-Cell Auto Prep System, while consumables revenue rose 31%. Looking ahead, Fluidigm is maintaining its forecast for 22%-26% revenue growth and anticipates breaking even on an EBITDA basis when quarterly revenue hits $20 million.

Now what: I definitely feel research tool suppliers to the pharmaceutical and biotech sector are going to see a boom in business over the coming decade as the medical needs of an aging population dramatically increase. However, with Fluidigm still burning through cash, it could be another two years before it turns a quarterly profit. As such, I can't exactly get too excited following today's double-digit pop. Show me the money Fluidigm, and I'll show you some enthusiasm!

Craving more input? Start by adding Fluidigm to your free and personalized Watchlist so you can keep up on the latest news with the company.

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The article Why Fluidigm Shares Jumped originally appeared on Fool.com.

Motley Fool contributor Sean Williams has no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen name TMFUltraLong, track every pick he makes under the screen name TrackUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle @TMFUltraLong.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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