CKFR ($17-$12) EPS -$4.43..16:40 ET CheckFree (CKFR) 16.77 -0.06: Reports Q1 loss of $0.02 a share, in line with consensus, vs yr-ago loss of $0.09. Rev rose 29% to $116.7 mln. Sees Q2 loss of $0.01-$0.03 and full yr earnings in the mid-to-high single digit range (mean estimates $0.00 and $0.06).
CheckFree loss widens during first quarter
NORCROSS, Ga., Oct 23 (Reuters) - Internet billing firm CheckFree Corp. (NasdaqNM:CKFR - news) on Tuesday said its fiscal first-quarter net loss widened as amortization charges outweighed rising revenues from higher numbers of subscribers.
The Norcross, Georgia-based company posted a net loss, including acquisition-related amortization and one-time charges, of $88.9 million, or $1.02 per share, in the quarter ended Sept. 30. That compares with a loss of $58.4 million, or 91 cents per share, in the year-ago period.
Excluding amortization and one-time charges, the firm reported a loss of $1.9 million, or 2 cents per share, compared with a loss of $5.5 million, or 9 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter.
That met analysts' forecasts of a loss between 3 cents and 1 cent per share, with a mean estimate of a loss of 2 cents, according to research firm Thomson Financial/First Call.
Revenues rose 29 percent to $116.7 million, while the number of CheckFree subscribers for its electronic billing services -- an indicator analysts say is key to gauging the company's progress -- rose 47 percent to 5.6 million a year ago, which the firm said was at the low end of its expectations. |
