Tech Stocks in Motion
Updated from 12:35 p.m. EST
Shares of
Applix
(APLX)
were among technology's winners Friday, rising 31.5% after the company posted a big jump in fourth-quarter earnings and sales.
The software provider earned $3.1 million, or 20 cents a share, on sales of $9.4 million. A year ago the company posted a loss of $2.7 million, or 21 cents a share, which included a restructuring charge of $3.24 million, or 25 cents a share, on sales of $8.2 million. Looking ahead, the company forecast 2005 sales of $37 million to $40 million and earnings that represent 13% to 16% of sales. Shares traded up $1.64 to $6.84.
Ascential Software
(ASCL)
rose 8.1% after software maker posted fourth-quarter earnings and sales that topped expectations. Excluding items, the company earned $8.3 million, or 14 cents a share, on sales of $78.2 million. Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call were expecting earnings of 9 cents a share on sales of $71.4 million. A year ago the company earned $5.6 million, or 9 cents a share, on sales of $64.5 million. Looking ahead, Ascential forecast first-quarter sales of $72 million to $74 million, ahead of analysts' expectations of $68.4 million. Shares traded up $1.20 to $16.05.
Shares of
Brightpoint
(CELL)
rose 7.7% after the electronics distributor posted second-quarter earnings that beat expectations. The company earned $8.7 million, or 47 cents a share, on sales of $506.4 million. Analysts were expecting earnings of 37 cents a share on sales of $512.9 million. A year ago the company earned $6.2 million, or 32 cents a share, on sales of $534.4 million. The company said the sales decline resulted from a shift in sales mix from units handled through distribution to logistics services. Fee-based logistics, according to the company, generate less revenue, but generally yield high gross margin. As a result, gross profit grew 16% on a year-over-year basis. Shares traded up $1.43 to $20.
SeaChange International
(SEAC) - Get SeaChange International, Inc. Report
fell 15.9% after the maker of digital video systems cut its fourth-quarter earnings and sales outlook. The company now expects to post a loss of 4 cents to 8 cents a share on sales of $28 million to $30 million. Previously, SeaChange said that it would earn 10 cents a share on sales of $41 million. Analysts had been expecting earnings of 10 cents a share on sales of $41 million. The sales shortfall was caused by delays in the booking, shipping, or acceptance of certain orders, the company said. Shares traded down $2.64 to $13.92.
TheStreet Recommends
Shares of
Therma-Wave
(TWAV)
fell 15.4% after the semiconductor technology company posted third-quarter financial results that fell short of expectations and said that investors could expect more of the same during the fourth-quarter. The company reported a loss of $1.9 million, or 5 cents a share, on sales of $21.5 million. Analysts were expected break-even earnings on sales of $23.1 million. The company said that sales were weaker-than-expected because it did not recognize $1.6 million in sales that shipped during the quarter.
It was also hurt by three delayed acceptances. Therma-Wave also unexpectedly shipped $3.1 million in product that was recorded as deferred revenue. Looking ahead, the company warned that it would post a fourth-quarter loss of 15 cents to 18 cents a share on sales of $21.5 million, which is below the break-even earnings and $23 million in sales that analysts had been expecting. Shares traded down 53 cents to $2.92.
Other technology movers included
Cisco
(CSCO) - Get Cisco Systems, Inc. Report
, up 38 cents to $17.90;
Intel
(INTC) - Get Intel Corporation Report
, up 62 cents to $23;
Microsoft
(MSFT) - Get Microsoft Corporation Report
, up 14 cents to $26.32;
Sun Microsystems
(SUNW) - Get Sunworks, Inc. Report
, up 6 cents to $4.32;
Applied Materials
(AMAT) - Get Applied Materials, Inc. Report
, up 63 cents to $16.79;
Lucent
(LU)
, up 3 cents to $3.22;
Qwest Communications
(Q)
, up 45 cents to $4.85;
Oracle
(ORCL) - Get Oracle Corporation Report
, up 32 cents to $13.66;
Sirius Satellite
(SIRI) - Get Sirius XM Holdings, Inc. Report
, up 10 cents to $6.42; and
eBay
, down $1.34 to $75.88.
