Tech Stocks in Motion

Shares of Symantec(SYMC Quote) were among technology's losers Wednesday, falling 19% after the company posted solid second-quarter results but issued a weaker-than-expected third-quarter forecast.

The security-software company reported a loss of $251 million, or 21 cents a share, on sales of $1.05 billion, for the second quarter ended Sept. 30. On a pro forma basis, which excludes a number of one-time items and $136 million of deferred revenue related to the company's acquisition of Veritas Software, Symantec would have earned $273 million, or 23 cents a share, on sales of $1.19 billion. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call anticipated earnings of 20 cents a share and sales of $1.19 billion.

Symantec forecast third-quarter pro forma earnings of 25 cents a share, below analysts' mean estimate of 27 cents a share. The company sees sales of $1.26 billion, compared with Wall Street's target of $1.35 billion. For all of fiscal 2006, the company expects pro forma earnings of 99 cents a share and sales of about $5 billion. Analysts had forecast earnings of $1 a share and sales of $5.15 billion. Shares were trading down $4.53 to $19.47.

Interlink Electronics(LINK Quote) plunged 44% after the maker of interface devices said it would post a loss for the third quarter and restate two years' of results. The company attributed the loss to charges and costs associated with a new reorganization plan that will combine its business communications-OEM business segment with its home entertainment segment. Interlink also is moving certain sales, marketing, engineering and customer support to its China operations.

Interlink said it would post a "significant" third-quarter loss related to the reorganization of its business. The company estimated third-quarter sales of about $10.2 million, below the company's previous guidance of $10.6 million to $10.8 million. Interlink blamed the shortfall on lower-than-expected sales to its OEM customers.