NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP) specializes in network storage solutions, and with the increasing importance of collecting and analyzing data, NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP)’s products have become increasingly vital in helping customers make the most of the information they gather. Let’s take an early look at what’s been happening with NetApp over the past quarter and what we’re likely to see in its quarterly report.
Stats on NetApp
| Analyst EPS Estimate | $0.68 |
| Change From Year-Ago EPS | 3% |
| Revenue Estimate | $1.76 billion |
| Change From Year-Ago Revenue | 3.1% |
| Earnings Beats in Past 4 Quarters | 4 |
Source: Yahoo! Finance.
Can NetApp’s earnings keep climbing this quarter?
Analysts have stayed firm in recent months on their views of NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP)’s earnings prospects, with no change to their estimates for either the most-recent quarter or the fiscal 2014 year. The stock has made modest gains of between 5% and 6% since mid-February.
In general, NetApp has done a good job of producing solid growth recently. By tapping into the Big Data trend, NetApp has been able to raise its revenue by nearly 60% and boost net income by more than 50% between 2010 and 2012, with its focus on incremental market-share gains paying off for the company.
Yet NetApp certainly doesn’t have the industry to itself. In February, rival EMC Corporation (NYSE:EMC) announced earnings that showed a big bounce from past weakness, with an 8% gain in revenue that doubled NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP)’s growth rate over the same period. As EMC continues to boost its margins and profitability with an increased focus on high-end products, NetApp will have to counter EMC Corporation (NYSE:EMC)’s moves to sustain its competitive position in the space.
One interesting conjecture is the idea that NetApp could be an acquisition target. Although Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ:ORCL) recently made a big buyout in picking up Acme Packet, adding NetApp’s Big Data exposure to its broad-reaching IT business would give Oracle a leg up in its fight against other tech giants, many of which are using the same strategy of seeking to expand with wider offerings of services. In addition, news last week that activist investor Elliott Management had taken a sizable stake in NetApp and might seek internal changes that would include a potential return of capital to shareholders could make the stock look even more attractive.
In NetApp’s quarterly report, make sure to watch for the company’s planned strategy for taking advantage of the increasing focus on Big Data. With such a monumental opportunity, NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP) has to step up and take full advantage of the good times for the company while they last.
The article Will NetApp’s Earnings Keep It in Play? originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Dan Caplinger.
Fool contributor Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. You can follow him on Twitter: @DanCaplinger. The Motley Fool owns shares of EMC and Oracle.
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