AMAT (+2 @ $46) advances on results....(so far , conferenc waiting)
NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Applied Materials shares rose 4.5 percent during Wednesday's after-hours session on the heels of the company's fourth-quarter net income that was better than expected.
Also, Nordstrom and SkillSoft reported quarterly financial results after the closing bell.
Applied Materials (AMAT: news, msgs) shares are up $2 to $44.75 after closing up $1.31 to $42.75.
Applied Materials reported fourth-quarter net income of $664 million, or 77 cents a share, compared with $303 million, or 37 cents a share, during the same quarter last year. See full story.
Analysts surveyed by First Call expected earnings of 76 cents a share, on average.
Revenue was $2.92 billion compared with $1.61 billion during the same quarter last year.
Nordstrom (JWN: news, msgs) posted a third-quarter profit of 18 cents a share, down 36 percent compared with the year-ago profit and a penny shy of the consensus estimate.
Nordstrom shares were not active after closing down 19 cents, or 1 percent, to $18.13.
Including one-time items, the company posted a loss of $3.3 million, or 3 cents a share.
Last year, the company posted earnings of $33.6 million, or 25 cents a share.
Sales for the quarter totaled $1.25 billion, compared with the year-ago total of $1.11 billion.
Nordstrom attributed the lower net income to larger markdowns and higher expenses.
Same-store sales for the quarter rose 4.7 percent.
Skillsoft (SKIL: news, msgs) posted a narrower-than-expected loss for its third quarter.
Shares were not active after closing up 88 cents, or 4.2 percent, to $21.63.
The company, which helps companies train workers via the Internet, lost $5.1 million, or 40 cents a share, compared with $5.9 million, or 47 cents a share, a year ago.
Analysts polled by First Call anticipated a loss of 45 cents a share.
Revenue for the quarter rose 51 percent to $5.5 million, compared with $3.6 million in the year-ago period.
"We reiterate our previously announced fourth-quarter fiscal 2001 revenue target of between $7.25 million and $7.5 million," said Chuck Moran, president and chief executive officer.
The company noted its gross margin increased to 92 percent, compared with 91 percent in the second quarter and 89 percent in the first quarter. Gross margin is projected to be about 92.5 to 93 percent of revenue for the fourth quarter.
The company also remains confident that it will reach profitability in its fourth quarter of 2002. |
