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STOCKS TO WATCH: Pixar, SoftNet Systems and Winstar Communications

2 min read

Expect the following technology stocks to be among Friday's most actively traded issues: Pixar, SoftNet Systems and Winstar Communications.

  • Pixar Animation Studios (Nasdaq: PIXR)

    Steve Jobs' other company delivered strong sales and earnings in its first quarter Thursday, beating the Street estimates by 8 cents a share.

    In the quarter, Pixar raked in $26.4 million, or 53 cents a share, on sales of $61 million.

    Its shares closed up 5/8 to 38 3/8 ahead of the earnings report.

    Pixar's sales were boosted by Toy Story 2, which came out last year.

    The company said it targets full year earnings of at least $1.25 per share for 2000. First Call currently predicts a profit of $1.36 per share for the year.

    To date, Toy Story 2 has seen $479 million in global box office sales, Pixar said.

  • SoftNet Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: SOFN)

    SoftNet could be pushed lower Friday after it posted a wider-than-expected loss in its second quarter, losing $22.1 million, or 66 cents a share, on sales of $1.7 million.

    Analysts expected the cable-based provider of high-speed Internet access to lose 59 cents a share in the quarter.

    Its shares closed up 3/16 to 15 9/16 ahead of the earnings report.

    The $1.7 million in sales marks a 65 percent jump from the year-ago quarter when it posted a loss of $8 million, or 71 cents a share, on sales of $1 million.

    Company officials said subscriptions improved 54 percent from the first quarter to 16,027.

    Last quarter, SoftNet posted a loss of $20.6 million, or 70 cents a share, on sales of $1.3 million.

  • Winstar Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: WCII)

    Winstar hopes to parlay a strong first-quarter earnings report into some significant gains Friday.

    It posted a loss of $176 million, or $2.06 a share, on sales of $162.8 million.

    First Call Corp. consensus expected the broadband services firm to lose $2.39 a share in the quarter.

    Ahead of the earnings report, Winstar shares closed up 2 7/16 to 43 3/8.

    The $162.8 million in sales represents an 85 percent improvement from the year-ago quarter when it lost $165 million, or $2.48 a share, on sales of $88 million.

    In the quarter, the company achieved gross profit margins of 40.7 percent, up from 22.9 percent in the year-ago quarter and 35.4 percent in its fourth quarter.