Why Uni-Pixel Shares Popped

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of Uni-Pixel  rose by nearly 12% in Tuesday's early intraday trading after analysts at Cowen wrote construction for the company's new plant with Kodak to produce sensors based on Uni-Pixel's UniBoss sensor film appears to be on track to produce around 1 million units per month by the end of 2013. However, Uni-Pixel gave back much of those gains as the day wore on to close up just 3.4% as the wider market retreated. 

So what: Uni-Pixel shareholders have endured quite a ride over the past several months. First, Uni-Pixel shares popped by around 20% when the original agreement with Kodak was announced in April. Then, they plunged 26% in May after rumors surfaced that Apple could become a direct competitor, only to rise by nearly 11% after analysts defended the company's position and it received a $5 million milestone payment from Eastman Kodak to facilitate the development.

Today's pop, then, surely comes as a welcome sign as investors are happy everything still appears to be on track. 

Now what: Even so, the stock currently sits more than 56% below its 52-week-high above $41 per share set in April -- a drop that predictably resulted in at least one class action lawsuit on behalf of burned purchasers of Uni-Pixel near those highs. However, considering the company expects the market for these sensors could grow as large as $32 billion by 2018, it's safe to say patient long-term shareholders could still stand to be handsomely rewarded going forward.