Why Zebra Technologies Stock Soared in May

Shares in data management company Zebra Technologies (NASDAQ: ZBRA) surged 13.8% in May, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. The move comes down to a combination of a relatively positive earnings report released at the end of April, and the market taking a relatively brighter outlook on global economic growth prospects.

In addition, Zebra may have benefited from a growing recognition that the COVID-19 pandemic will encourage companies to invest in automation solutions. As such, Zebra can benefit because its handheld barcode scanners, mobile computers, and printers help gather and analyze data in end markets as diverse as retail/e-commerce logistics, transportation, manufacturing, and healthcare.

That said, the industrial company missed is first quarter sales and earnings outlook and withdrew its full-year outlook due to the uncertainty created by the pandemic. Moreover, the one bit of guidance given on the earnings release was for "net sales, adjusted EBITDA margin, and free cash flow to be lower than last year."

Source Fool.com