Why NxStage Medical, MyoKardia, and Rockwell Collins Jumped Today

The stock market kept climbing on Monday, with modest gains across major benchmarks that nevertheless sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average to its ninth straight record high. Absent major news in the August summer doldrums, investors largely focused on earnings reports and merger announcements, and conditions appear to remain favorable even as Wall Street heads into a historically volatile season. NxStage Medical (NASDAQ: NXTM), MyoKardia (NASDAQ: MYOK), and Rockwell Collins (NYSE: COL) were among the best performers on the day. Below, we'll look more closely at these stocks to tell you why they did so well.

Shares of NxStage Medical soared 28% after the maker of home dialysis equipment received a buyout bid from Fresenius Medical Care (NYSE: FMS). Under the terms of the deal, Fresenius will pay NxStage shareholders $30 per share in cash, putting the total value of the acquisition at about $2 billion. Fresenius CEO Rice Powell said that the deal will "support our 2020 strategic initiative of driving growth in the core business," while NxStage CEO Jeff Burbank pointed to "the potential to significantly advance the standard of care for patients around the world." With the deal expected to close next year, both companies will still have time to keep moving forward in their respective businesses before joining forces.

Image source: NxStage Medical.

Source: Fool.com