Why A10 Networks Stock Popped 21% in July

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What: Last month, shares of A10 Networks (NYSE: ATEN) popped 20.9% according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data. Investors were likely pleased that the company beat Wall Street's estimates for its second quarter, though the company still posted a loss.

So what: A10's stock has been on the uptick this year, rising 21% year-to-date. Most all of those gains came in July.

At the end of July, the company reported a loss of $4.9 million, or $0.08 per share, in its second-quarter results. Backing out the stock option exchange in the quarter, that ended up being a $0.02-per-share loss. That doesn't sound all that great, but it's a big improvement over the $10 million loss, or $0.16 per share, the company posted in the second quarter of 2015.

And it appears that's what pleased investors in July. Analysts were expecting a loss of $0.05 per share, so the $0.02 seemed like a huge win for the company.

Additionally, A10's revenue came in at a record high of $57.1 million, slightly higher than the Street's $55.9 million estimate, and up 20% year-over-year.

Now what: On the earnings call, A10's management said the company has improved its bottom-line results and is now on track to meet its goal of becoming profitable (on a non-GAAP basis) by the fourth quarter of this year.

The company's recent acquisition, which also came in July, of the cloud-based subscription service company Appcito should help in making that goal a reality. The company will allow A10 to expand its addressable market, bringing it more business in the enterprise applications segment.

A10 Network's latest quarter clearly shows the company is moving in the right direction with its revenue, as well as making improvements to its bottom line. Now it's time for investors to see if the company can deliver on its profitability goal.

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Chris Neiger has no position in any stocks mentioned. 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.