PTB,
I think it's all there.
the intel report revealed huge volume increases.
massive volumes.
they lost the 3 cents off mean est. bec of cyrx and amd and losing some flash.
News Alert from Reuters via Quote.com
Topic: Intel Corp
Quote.com News Item #4249769
Headline: Computer maker profits seen up despite Intel jolt
======================================================================
By Richard Melville
NEW YORK, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Quarterly earnings at most
personal computer companies are expected to show solid
increases, with the largest firms enjoying the best gains.
Although Tuesday's third quarter earnings shortfall from
Intel Corp (NASDAQ:INTC) and recurring worries about the strength of
the dollar have raised some worries, analysts said the mostly
favorable outlook for computer makers remains intact.
Compaq Computer Corp (NYSE:CPQ) and Digital Equipment Corp
(NYSE:DEC) will be among the first to release numbers, with both
due to report Thursday Oct 16 before the stock market opens.
According to First Call's consensus estimate, analysts
expect Digital, which is reporting fiscal first quarter
results, to earn $0.10 per share, reversing last year's $0.48
per share loss.
Compaq is expected to earn $0.68 per share, up from $0.50 a
year ago, although some on Wall Street are predicting the
company will beat that figure handily.
Merrill Lynch analyst Lucianne Painter on Wednesday raised
her 1997 and 1998 earnings estimates on Compaq, just a day
ahead of the earnings release. Painter expects Compaq to earn
$0.76 per share in the third quarter.
"We expect an upside surprise for the third quarter,"
Painter said. Painter cited improved market share and gross
margin prospects as well as benefits from the company's recent
acquisition of network server maker Tandem Computer for the
improved Compaq outlook.
In recent quarters, the largest personal computer companies
have been gaining market share at the expense of smaller
competitors, a trend some analysts expect to continue.
In addition to Compaq, Dell Computer Corp (NASDAQ:DELL)
and International Business Machines Corp (NYSE:IBM) have also
increased their share of the overall market.
Analysts say Dell, whose third quarter ends in October, a
month after most others, should show the strongest growth.
The First Call consensus estimate for Dell is at $0.65 per
share, a nearly 67 percent increase over the $0.39 per share it
earned last year. While Dell shares showed some early weakness
on Wednesday following the Intel earnings report, they quickly
recovered as investors appeared to shake off the jitters.
"Nothing in the Intel report has changed our enthusiasm for
a Compaq or a Dell," said James Townsend, chairman and
portfolio strategist at SoundView Financial.
One of the factors afflicting Intel is the unexpectedly
strong demand for the least expensive personal computers, a
trend that cut into Intel's profit margins and has pressured
IBM's performance in the consumer market.
Despite its troubles in the consumer arena, IBM is expected
to show an increase in third quarter earnings to $1.33 per
share from $1.23 last year, despite widespread concern about
the impact of currency levels.
Analysts said IBM's new generation minicomputer, the
AS/400e, should provide a boost to figures as the company ramps
up production and books sales on the new line.
Gateway 2000 Inc (NYSE:GTW) is one company that will not be
not be posting an improvement. The company warned investors
last month that earnings would disappoint, largely due to a
tepid response to its efforts to increase corporate sales.
In the weeks since its caution, the First Call consensus
estimate on Gateway has declined to $0.11 per share from $0.47.
Gateway earned $0.39 a year ago.
Among others in the group, Hewlett-Packard Co (NYSE:HWP) is
expected to report earnings for its fiscal fourth quarter
ending October rose to $0.77 from $0.62.
Sun Microsystems Inc (NASDAQ:SUNW) is expected to post earnings
of $0.44 a share, up from $0.32, and Micron Electronics Inc
(NASDAQ:MUEI) is expected to report earnings fell to $0.22 a share
from $0.27 last year. Both Sun and Micron will be reporting
fiscal first quarter figures.
Apple Computer Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), which reports Wednesday night,
is expected to lose money in the quarter, as it continues to
struggle through uncertain times. First Call's consensus
estimate is for a fiscal fourth quarter loss of $0.14 per share
versus a pre-gain profit of $0.06 last year. |
