Dell Computer (DELL), msft & intel news items.
DELL COMPUTER founder and top executive Michael Dell on Tuesday said the computer maker's 1Q results were
driven by strong growth at either end of its business -- both corporate systems and personal computers for home
and small business users. In a telephone interview, the 34-year-old Dell said customer preparations for possible Year
2000 glitches were not having a dramatic impact on Dell's business and looked manageable for the rest of 1999.
(Reuters 06:04 PM ET 05/18/99) For the full text story, see full story ***Also: Dell expects good Europe growth, see
full story
Dell Computer (DELL)
Several analysts reiterated ratings on DELL COMPUTER, a day after the company reported 1Q earnings in line with
analysts' estimates. USBancorp Piper Jaffrey analyst Ashok Kumar repeated a buy rating, but lowered fiscal 2000 and
2001 earnings estimates, ''based on a tougher pricing and demand environment.'' New 2000 estimate is $0.69 a
share, down from $0.76; 2001 view is $0.93, down from $1. CS First Boston analyst Michael Kwatinetz reiterated a
strong buy rating, and raised fiscal 2000 estimate to $0.73. Previous estimate was not immediately available.
BancBoston Robertson Stephens analyst Daniel Niles reiterated a market performer rating, and left unchanged his
earnings estimates of $0.70 for 2000, and $0.90 for 2001. (Reuters)
Dell Computer (DELL)
DELL COMPUTER shares slumped on Wednesday, a day after the personal computer maker posted profit margins that
raised concerns even as its earnings matched Wall Street forecasts. Gross margins sank to 21.5% of revenues from
22.4% for the three months ended in January, while European sales grew 29% -- down from the 40% and higher
growth rate of prior quarters. While some analysts professed surprise at the margin decline, Dell executives strongly
telegraphed that a retreat was in store three months ago when they vowed to undercut PC rivals by cutting prices,
even if profit margins suffered. (Reuters 05:38 PM ET 05/19/99) For the full text story, see full story
Intel Corp (INTC)
Microsoft Corp (MSFT)
HEALTHEON CORP plans to merge with WebMD Inc. in a bid to consolidate the online management of health care
data, a Healtheon board member told Reuters on Wednesday. Healtheon's board approved the deal on Monday and
WebMD's directors were slated to vote on the plan early Wednesday. The deal is structured as a 50-50 merger and
should conclude in about four months, he noted. In addition, MICROSOFT CORP will take a major stake in the new
company, Kramlich said. There will also be a group of strategic partners including MCKESSON HBOC INC, INTEL CORP,
and EXCITE INC, the board member said. (Reuters 12:26 PM ET 05/19/99) For the full text story, see full story
Microsoft Corp (MSFT)
MICROSOFT CORP and XEROX CORP's technology alliance will take corporations one step further toward the
"paperless" office, the companies said during a press conference. Xerox earlier said it will license Microsoft's Windows
NT Embedded 4.0 operating system for use in Xerox Document Centre devices, which scan, fax, print and copy
documents. Xerox's Document Centre will also be integrated with Microsoft Exchange Server software to allow
scanned documents to be shared over a computer network. The product is expected to be available during the 3Q.
(Dow Jones)
Microsoft Corp (MSFT)
MICROSOFT CORP's Internet Explorer browser now tops Netscape Communications Corp.'s Navigator in the business
market as well as the home. A Zona Research study of 308 businesses found 59% of workers use Explorer compared
with 41% who use Navigator. A Zona study from October 1998 found quite the opposite. 60% of business computer
users then employed Navigator and 40% used Explorer. Behind the shift is an increase in corporate browser-use
policies. Sixty-nine percent of companies said they had such policies and 62% of those said the policies standardized
on Explorer. (Dow Jones)
Microsoft Corp (MSFT)
MICROSOFT CORP will invest $150 mln in Pakistan to set up 50 training centers in the populous Punjab province,
the official APP news agency reported on Wednesday. It said Microsoft signed an agreement with the provincial
government on Tuesday under which 200 people a year would become Microsoft-certified instructors. "Microsoft will
also provide software worth $25 mln to a proposed university of information technology in the province free of cost,
on the request of the chief minister of Punjab. (Reuters 10:32 AM ET 05/19/99)
Microsoft Corp (MSFT)
MICROSOFT Chairman Bill Gates, speaking to an invited audience of high-profile corporate chieftains, on Wednesday
outlined a future in which pervasive network connections free workers from their desks and meetings. In Gates' vision
of a world of "digital dashboards" and "meetings without walls," the PC maintains its place of primacy in the
workplace, while smaller devices -- ranging from tiny cell phones to "tablet" computers the size of legal pads --
allow workers to stay in constant touch with the beating heart of the corporate database. (Reuters 05:14 PM ET
05/19/99) Full story: see full story |
