Axon Shares Surge as Taser Maker Tops Estimates

Major U.S. equities indexes ticked higher to wrap up an eventful week of political and economic news. Election Day on Tuesday was followed by the Federal Reserve’s announcement on Thursday of a quarter-point interest-rate cut.

After crossing the 6,000-point threshold in intraday trading for the first time in history, the S&P 500 ended Friday just below that level, posting a daily gain of 0.4% to finish the historic week with an all-time closing high. The Dow advanced 0.6%, while the Nasdaq eked out a gain of 0.1%, with both indexes joining the S&P 500 in notching record closes.

Shares of police and military equipment supplier Axon Enterprise (AXON) led the S&P 500 higher on Friday, surging 26.7% to an all-time high following a strong quarterly earnings report. The Taser manufacturer topped third-quarter sales and profit estimates, boosted by revenue growth from its marquee “less-lethal” weapon, its software and sensors business, and its cloud services products.

Cybersecurity firm Fortinet (FTNT) also exceeded expectations with its third-quarter revenue and earnings per share (EPS) results, and its shares popped 10.0% higher. Although Fortinet’s guidance for current-quarter billings came in below consensus forecasts, the company posted record gross margins and touted a return to growth in product revenue. In addition, Fortinet’s board of directors authorized a $1 billion increase in the company’s stock buyback authorization.

Insulet (PODD) shares jumped 9.4% after the maker of insulin delivery devices posted better-than-expected quarterly sales and profits, driven by record year-over-year revenue growth. The company saw solid demand for its wearable insulin pumps, which eliminate the need for multiple daily injections for patients with insulin-dependent diabetes. In August, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the indication for Insulet’s Omnipod 5 device, making it the first and only automated insulin delivery device that’s been greenlighted to treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

The weakest performance in the S&P 500 on Friday belonged to shares of Akamai Technologies (AKAM), which plunged 14.4% after the cloud services provider released its latest financial results. Although quarterly revenue edged out estimates and EPS matched expectations, Akamai’s sales and profit guidance for the current quarter came in below consensus forecasts. The company also announced strategic shifts that include plans to lay off approximately 2.5% of its workforce.

Airbnb (ABNB) shares dropped 8.7% after the vacation rental platform posted mixed quarterly results, beating top-line estimates but falling short on profits. In a letter to shareholders, Airbnb said it is concentrating on expanding its global footprint, focusing on underpenetrated regions beyond its core markets.

Despite posting better-than-projected quarterly revenue and net income, cloud networking provider Arista Networks (ANET) reported a sequential decline in gross margins, and its shares sank 7.2%. The company said it expects pressure on margins to persist in the current quarter. Arista also announced a four-for-one stock split, with split-adjusted shares set to begin trading on Dec. 4.