Stratasys Surges on Earnings Beat

Stratasys SSYS opens the week on an upswing on word of a very successful fourth quarter. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota 3D printer manufacturer finished the fourth quarter with an EPS of $0.40, up 33 percent year-over-year. The firm also topped the Wall Street consensus of $0.38 per share. Revenue climbed 23 percent from Q4 2011 and closed at $96.4 million. On this front, Stratasys blew away analysts' expectations of around $53 million. Full-year EPS closed at $1.49, rising 58.5 percent from 2011. This figure easily topped the Wall Street consensus of $1.38. For the year, revenue grew nearly 30 percent and closed at $359 million - 79.5 percent higher than the Wall Street consensus of around $200 million. Strong 2013 Guidance Stratasys expects EPS to finish in the $1.80 to $1.95 range in 2013. At the middle-ground of $1.87-$1.88, the firm would top analysts' expectations of $1.86. The company also expects revenue to come in above the Wall Street consensus. While analysts are looking for approximately $421 million, Stratasys expects to pull in $430 to $445 million. Clap for Stratasys, Because of Stratasys In January, Stratasys announced that the “magic arms” WREX exoskeleton device - created by researchers at the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Philadelphia - has been nominated for the Designs of the Year 2013 awards by London's Design Museum. The device helped a four year-old girl use her arms for the firm time. Notably, the device was created using a Stratasys Dimension 3D Printer. Thus, if the WREX device ultimately goes on to win, look for some positive news on the company in April - news that could give the stock another boost. 3D Systems Down The good news for Stratasys doesn't appear to be extending to fellow 3D printer manufacturer 3D Systems Corp. DDD. After gradually climbing into the high $30s and closing near $37 on February 28, the stock has embarked on a backslide. The Rock Hill, South Carolina firm is down for the second day in a row and is back below $36 as of this writing. 3D Systems is down around two percent on Friday. Market Reaction After hovering in the $80s from the end of December through most of January, Stratasys dipped back into the $70s before briefly eclipsing the $80 mark again in the second week of February. Since then, it has gradually declined and leveled out in the low-to-mid $60s through Friday. Now, on word of its successful fourth quarter and 2012 earnings, Stratasys is inching toward the $70 mark again. In the morning hours of trading on Friday, the stock is at its highest point in nearly two weeks as it hovers around the $69 mark. Stratasys is up approximately seven percent on Friday.