| GMST ( $24-$27-25) Cap= 10Bil Gemstar-TV Guide International (GMST: news, chart, profile) added $1.73 to $25.83 after the Pasadena, Calif., consumer entertainment technology products firm reported a third-quarter loss of $131.5 million, or 32 cents a share, wider than its year-ago loss of $115.8 million, or 30 cents a share. On an EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) basis, the company earned $110.7 million, or 25 cents a share, in the latest results. Revenue reached $335.1 million in the quarter. The company said its performance topped "the consensus expectations of analysts on all major performance metrics in all sectors." The results prompted Merrill Lynch to reaffirm its "buy" rating on Gemstar's stock. "Quite remarkably, Gemstar continues to hit its financial targets, which were provided to Wall St. over one year ago, despite a sharp downturn in U.S. economic activity," said analyst Jessica Reif Cohen in a note to clients. |
