STOCK WATCH
Falling PC prices hit Viglen results
Viglen's figures were squeezed by falling PC prices as the vendor continued to make its transition to a services-oriented company. Pre-tax profit for the year ended 30 June - based on 11 months of trading of Viglen Technology and one month of Viglen Limited, the Amstrad subsidiary - was #4.44 million and turnover reached #94.6 million. Previously, Viglen made pre-tax profit of #11 million and sales of #100.9 million.
Corel
Canadian software vendor Corel appeared to be reaping the rewards of its recent cost-cutting measures when it released its figures for the quarter ended 31 August. The figures showed a net loss of #7.8 million, compared with a loss of $35.9 million for the same period last year. However, sales increased by 46 per cent to $71.1 million.
Intelligent Environments Group
Intelligent Environments Group experienced a sales increase of 27 per cent to #2.6 million, while its losses fell from #2 million to #900,000. Turnover generated from its internet and service sales grew by 150 per cent and client server sales by 13 per cent.
Bull
French computer vendor Bull warned that the cost of training staff would climb substantially after it decided to speed up the programme. About $177 million will be spent on upgrading skills during the next two years, but this will affect the company's figures. However, it was confident it would meet its target of FFr1 billion full-year operating profit.
Infobank
Infobank International Holdings was forced to issue a profit warning last week, as well as revealing that chairman David Fraser has agreed to step down.
The move saw Infobank's shares plunge by 65 per cent to 42.5p on 24 September, to 40p one day later.
Philips
Philips has warned that its profits would not improve on last year's figures, during which it lost #1.9 billion. The company also admitted that it was suffering from lower margins in semiconductors and depressed income from display components.
Platinum Software
ERP software supplier Platinum Software offered no explanation for the 37 per cent dip in its stock price on Friday, but denied that its president was about to leave. President and chief executive George Klaus admitted he did not understand the recent trading in the stock, which had fallen from its $27 peak earlier this year, to approximately $10, and re-affirmed his commitment to the company.
Boom time for US internet companies
Shares in US internet companies soared last week when details of alliances between Web search engines and computer companies were announced. Yahoo shares rose 14.5 per cent after it announced an alliance with AT&T's Worldnet Service, while Excite jumped 33 per cent following its deal with Dell.
ICM Computer Group
ICM Computer Group saw turnover rise 22 per cent to #35.1 million, compared with #28.8 million for the previous year. Pre-tax profit jumped 37 per cent to #3.43 million.
eBay
eBay's initial public offering occurred last week with the online auction firm tripling its share price on the first day of trading. The IPO was the first in over a month, the longest period since 1980 without a hi-tech offering in the US. Its stock opened at $53.50 and closed at $47, 163 per cent above its target price of $18.
Bayer
Agfa's parent, Bayer, will float its subsidiary on the German stock exchange next year. It will involve selling off up to 75 per cent of its stock during the second half of 1999.