ValueClick Beats Estimates

ValueClick (VCLK Quote) beat first-quarter earnings targets Wednesday and guided toward solid gains for the year.

The Westlake Village, Calif., online marketing services company earned $8.7 million, or 10 cents a share, down from the year-ago profit of $13.4 million, or 16 cents a share. Year-ago earnings were boosted by a dime-a-share gain on the sale of a stake in a Japanese unit.

Revenue rose to $51.4 million from $38.7 million a year earlier. The numbers beat the Thomson First Call consensus estimate, which called for an 8-cent profit on sales of $49 million.

"Our multiple online marketing channel strategy helped drive 40 percent pro-forma organic revenue growth and a doubling of operating income year-over-year in the first quarter," said CEO James Zarley.

The company also guided to an 8-cent second-quarter profit on sales of $52.5 million, matching the Wall Street earnings estimate and nudging the revenue guidance higher. The company guided to 2005 revenue of $218 million to $223 million, in line with the Wall Street target.

ValueClick shares were unchanged in late action after adding 71 cents during regular trading Wednesday to $10.65.