Symantec Soars Amidst Sustained Market Strain

Symantec (NASDAQ: SYMC), the world’s largest maker of security software, announced rather impressive Q3 results on January 28 that sent its stock surging 6%. >>>

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Chip Sector Shrinks: BRCM, TI, STM

The semiconductor industry is gloomier than ever, with demand weakening further in the fourth quarter. Texas Instruments (TI) and STMicroelectronics have announced 3,400 and 4,500 job cuts, respectively. Even leading semiconductor companies fell prey to the weakening demand with Qualcomm reporting a 56% slump in its profits and Broadcom reporting a loss in Q4 and announcing 200 job cuts. Let’s take a closer look at Broadcom, TI, and STMicro. >>>

Qualcomm Awaiting Switch To Digital TV

Yesterday Qualcomm, one of the top semiconductor companies with annual revenue of $11.14 billion in 2008, reported mixed results for its first quarter as profits plunged 56% due to continued losses in financial investments as markets worsened. >>>

SmartPhones Driving At ATT, VZ

This week, the US Telecom industry’s leading providers, AT&T and Verizon, reported their results. Let’s take a closer look as these carriers’ performances are a telling indication of the health of the industry in the wake of the tough economic conditions. >>>

EMC Cautious

EMC, the $23.4 billion storage technology company, announced their Q4 earnings yesterday. Revenues for the quarter came in at $4.02 billion, growing 5% over the year, with non-GAAP EPS of $0.32. The current quarter ended EMC’s run of 21 consecutive quarters of double-digit revenue growth. >>>

Yahoo! Looks Forward With Bartz

Eight days since Carol Bartz became the CEO of Yahoo! and already she needed to defend the company’s lackluster Q4 results, which were in stark contrast to its competitor Google’s impressive performance. >>>

Anxious AMD

On January 22, Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NYSE: AMD) reported disappointing Q4 and fiscal year 2008 results, with a ninth straight quarterly loss that was wider than expected. Already reeling under internal problems, the economic crisis is not just the straw, but rather a rock that is breaking the camel’s back. >>>

Nervous Nokia

On January 22, Nokia reported fourth quarter results that missed analyst estimates due to weak consumer spending, currency volatility and credit tightness. Nokia had earlier warned that it is experiencing weak demand, but the actual impact of the dismal global economy was far greater than expected. Q4 profit slumped to the lowest level since 2001, and for the first time since 2001, Nokia has announced a cut in its annual dividend from €0.53 to €0.40. Its shares hit a 52-week low following the results release. >>>

Microsoft Also Needs Cleaning Up

Microsoft’s (MSFT) woes continued this quarter as was evident from their Q2 results announced yesterday.

Q2 revenue of $16.6 billion recorded annual growth of only 1% and sequential growth of 10%. The market was looking for revenue of $17.1 billion. EPS of $0.47 was also 2 cents shy of the market’s expectations. EPS dropped one cent sequentially and 6% over the year. This was also the fourth consecutive year of margin decline for the company. >>>

Google Needs To Tighten Up

Google’s (GOOG) Q4 earnings, reported yesterday, exceeded market expectations. Revenue of $5.7 billion grew 18% over the year and 4% sequentially. EPS of $5.10 represented 15% annual growth and 4% quarterly growth. The market was expecting revenue of $5.6 billion and EPS of $4.95. Profits, however, fell year over year. Net income for the three months ended in December fell sharply to $382 million, or $1.21 a share, from $1.2 billion, or $3.79 a share, in the same period a year earlier. >>>