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Technology Stocks : Netscape -- Giant Killer or Flash in the Pan? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Xpiderman who wrote (3266)	5/26/1998 5:54:00 PM
From: EPS	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4903

Top Stories: Netscape Surprises to the Upside By Eric Moskowitz Staff Reporter 5/26/98 5:37 PM ET Netscape Communications (NSCP:Nasdaq) performed a rare feat, wowing Wall Street with an earnings report that didn't show a profit. The enterprise software company best known for its Internet browser said it broke even in its quarter ended April 30, beating First Call estimates by a dime and falling 9 cents short of year-ago earnings. Because Netscape recently changed the start of its fiscal year by a month, the April quarter is compared with the year-ago period ended March 31, 1997. In trading Tuesday, Netscape's stock dropped at the open -- never a good sign -- and ended 7/8 lower at 23 7/8. But the number should help the stock, which was up 1/4 in after-hours trading. Over the last three weeks, the stock has fallen more than 20%. Netscape, whose stock fell below 15 at one point in January, had been making signs of a comeback thanks to the Justice Department probe of Microsoft (MSFT:Nasdaq) and its decision to upgrade its main browser page into a "portal" site that will compete against Yahoo! (YHOO:Nasdaq) and Excite (XCIT:Nasdaq). Netscape also received a boost from a deal it made with Excite to give this potential competitor space on its Netcenter main page for $70 million upfront. All this news, however, could not make up for slower-than-expected Internet sales of its SuiteSpot software thanks to intense competition from IBM's (IBM:NYSE) Lotus Notes and Microsoft's Exchange. Netscape's conference call begins at 6 p.m. EDT. A story on the call and the company's outlook will be forthcoming.