Shares of American Superconductor (AMSC) plunged 28.48% in pre-market trading on Thursday, as investors reacted negatively to the company's second-quarter financial results and disappointing forward guidance. The sharp decline came despite the company beating earnings estimates, highlighting the market's focus on top-line growth and future prospects.

American Superconductor reported quarterly sales of $65.862 million, falling short of the analyst consensus estimate of $67.850 million by 2.93%. Although this represents a 20.91% increase in revenue compared to the same period last year, the failure to meet market expectations has clearly unsettled investors. On a positive note, the company did manage to post adjusted earnings per share of $0.20, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $0.15 by 31.58%. However, this earnings beat was not enough to offset concerns about revenue growth.

Adding to investor worries, American Superconductor provided guidance for the third quarter that failed to impress Wall Street. The company expects Q3 revenue between $65 million and $70 million, with GAAP net income projected to exceed $2 million. This outlook suggests that the company may continue to face challenges in meeting revenue expectations in the near term. The market's severe reaction indicates that investors are particularly concerned about American Superconductor's ability to maintain strong top-line growth in an increasingly competitive electrical components and equipment sector. As a result, the stock experienced a significant sell-off, reflecting heightened uncertainty about the company's future performance.