Tech Stocks in Motion

Altera falls on sales concerns.

Author:: Mark Martinez
Publish date:: Dec 9, 2004 4:35 PM EST

Updated from 1:11 p.m. EDT

Shares of

Ciena

were among the best-performing technology stocks Thursday, rising 23.1% after the company posted fourth-quarter results that beat expectations and said first-quarter sales would be better than expected.

Excluding items, the telecommunications-equipment maker posted a fourth-quarter loss of 6 cents a share on sales of $82 million. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call were expecting a loss of 7 cents a share on sales of $76.3 million.

Looking ahead, Ciena predicted that it would post a first-quarter loss of 5 cents to 7 cents a share, which is in line with expectations, on sequential sales growth of 7% to 10%. Analysts are expecting a loss of 5 cents a share on sales of $80.3 million. Shares traded up 54 cents to $2.88.

Altera

(ALTR) - Get Report

fell 7.8% after the chipmaker warned that fourth-quarter sales would fall below expectations. Weaker demand in Japan and Europe will cause sales to fall 9% to 12% on a sequential basis, the company said. Previously, it had forecast a 1% to 5% sequential decline. Altera posted third-quarter sales of $264.6 million. Analysts are looking for fourth-quarter sales of $257.9 million, or a 2.5% sequential decline. Shares traded down $1.73 to $20.47.

Shares of

Cymer

(CYMI)

fell 7% after the company warned that fourth-quarter sales would be below previous guidance. The semiconductor manufacturing-equipment company now expects a sequential sales decline of 12% to 13%, down from its previous guidance of a 10% decline. The company reported third-quarter sales of $107.1 million, which would imply fourth-quarter sales -- using the new guidance -- of $94.3 million to $95.3 million. Analysts had been expecting sales of $96.9 million. Gross margins, meanwhile, are now expected to be 34% to 36%, down from previous guidance of 37% to 39%. Shares traded down $2.25 to $29.74.

Euronet Worldwide

(EEFT) - Get Report

fell 5.5% after the company said it would sell $100 million in convertible senior debentures due 2024. Separately, the electronic payments provider said the offering would not affect its fourth-quarter earnings guidance of 18 cents a share. Analysts had been expecting earnings of 19 cents, however. Shares traded down $1.38 to $23.68.

Shares of

Micromuse

(MUSE)

rose 4.8% after the company hired a new CFO. Ian Halifax, who most recently served as CFO at

Macrovision

(MVSN)

, will replace Mike Luetkemeyer, who will continue to work with Micromuse until Halifax joins the company on Jan. 17. Shares traded up 26 cents to $5.68.

Other technology volume leaders included

Sirius Satellite Radio

(SIRI) - Get Report

, up 27 cents to $7.17;

Lucent

(LU)

, up 11 cents to $3.84;

Intel

(INTC) - Get Report

, down 25 cents to $22.76;

Microsoft

(MSFT) - Get Report