The week ahead: Earnings frenzy
Earnings reports from major names in the technology industry will build earnings season toward a crescendo this week.
Following are some of the notable tech-related events scheduled for the week of January 21 through January 25. Earnings reports from major names in the technology industry will build earnings season toward a crescendo this week.
Investors will hear fourth-quarter earnings news from almost every corner of the technology world. E-commerce Web site Amazon.com will release results Tuesday along with software giant Computer Associates, telecom equipment company Lucent Technologies and communications chipmaker Motorola.
Wednesday brings news from chip equipment maker KLA-Tencor along with software players SAP and Siebel Systems. The earnings show will continue Thursday as companies like cell phone maker Nokia, PC maker Gateway, BMC Software and optical components manufacturer JDS Uniphase bring their year-end tidings to Wall Street.
Investors will have little else to think about this week, besides the state of individual companies. The few economic reports due out this week from the government will help investors focus their attention on earnings, but that will change the following week when the Federal Reserve meets to discuss interest rates and preliminary data on third-quarter gross domestic product turns Wall Street's head towards the health of the overall economy.
The information was gathered from First Call, Hoover's Online, CCBN's StreetEvents and CNET Investor.
Other events scheduled this week:
 | Tech Events |  | | | |
| |||||
| |||||
- SUPERnet 2002 kicks off at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, Calif., Jan. 21 to Jan. 24. The conference will address the current state of bandwidth technologies like DSL, optical networking, cable, mobile and fixed wireless and gigabit Ethernet. Keynote speakers include WorldCom Vice Chairman Thomas Saponas.
- Sun Microsystems will sponsor the VON Developers Conference at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel in San Francisco, Jan. 21 to Jan. 24. The event will focus on the business challenges, business trends and related issues facing the VoIP (voice-over-IP) industry. VoIP splits voice data into many packets and sends them over a telecom network in separate chunks to their destination, where they are reassembled into a regular voice call. The technology uses bandwidth more efficiently and reduces cost, compared with a traditional circuit-switch call, which delivers voice data in its entirety using a continuous connection.
- Broadband Outlook 2002 takes place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 23. The conference is for representatives from the cable and telecom industries and will address topics like interactive TV, high-speed Internet access and government regulation. Keynote speakers include Kenneth Ferree, the cable services bureau chief at the Federal Communications Commission.
- Market research firm DVG Research will hold a panel discussion at the Marriott Hotel in Burlington, Mass., on Jan. 23. The event will address the future of communication and collaboration technologies like instant messaging and peer-to-peer networking. Venture capital and private equity fund managers, angel investors, entrepreneurs and technology executives are encouraged to attend. Panelists include former Palm CEO Carl Yankowski.
- The Platform Conference takes place at the Silicon Valley Conference Center in San Jose, Calif., Jan. 23 to Jan. 24. The event is for people interested in chip technology; and representatives from companies like Advanced Micro Devices, Infineon, Rambus and Samsung Semiconductor are scheduled to attend.
- Marcus Evans will hold a conference at the Westin Horton Plaza in San Diego, Jan. 23 to Jan. 25 on how telecom companies can use old network protocols like ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) alongside newer IP-based network standards. The event features workshops as well as case study presentations from companies like AT&T, Qwest Communications International and Bell Canada.
- The Institute for International Research will host Website accessibility and user experience forums at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, Jan. 24 to Jan. 25. The accessibility forum on Jan. 24 will address what makes a Web site accessible to Internet users, while the experience forum on Jan. 25 will cover issues relating to a site user's experience while visiting an Internet site. The conference is designed for senior management who have expertise in Web development, user experience, web operations, interactive marketing and Internet strategy, among other things.
- Compaq Computer will hold a meeting for analysts at the Equitable Auditorium in New York City on Jan. 25, beginning at 9 AM.
| Earnings | | | | |
| |||||
| |||||
Monday, Jan. 21
- Siemens unit Infineon makes chips for the communications, automotive, industrial, and consumer electronics sectors. No estimates were available for the first fiscal quarter.
- Altera produces chips for telecommunications, data, and industrial applications markets. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 3 cents.
- Amazon.com is an e-commerce Web site targeted at consumers. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 7 cents.
- Ameritrade operates an online brokerage service. Per-share consensus estimate for the first fiscal quarter: profit of 1 cent.
- Applied Micro Circuits makes chips for communications equipment. Per-share consensus estimate for the third fiscal quarter: loss of 4 cents.
- Ariba develops e-business software. Per-share consensus estimate for the first fiscal quarter: loss of 5 cents.
- Audiovox markets products like cellular telephones, vehicle security systems, mobile video systems, and consumer electronics. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: zero cents.
- BellSouth is a regional "Baby Bell" phone company that operates primarily in the Southeastern U.S. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 60 cents.
- Cadence Design Systems makes design software for chips and other electronic systems. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 26 cents.
- CDW Computer Centers markets and sells computer products. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 46 cents.
- CheckFree makes banking and billing software. Per-share consensus estimate for the second fiscal quarter: loss of 2 cents.
- Commerce One makes business-to-business e-commerce software. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 16 cents.
- Computer Associates makes software for businesses. Per-share consensus estimate for the third fiscal quarter: profit of 60 cents.
- EarthLink provides Internet access to consumers. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 11 cents.
- Fairchild Semiconductor makes chips for automobiles, computers and telecom equipment. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 4 cents.
- Lucent Technologies is a major manufacturer of telecom equipment. Per-share consensus estimate for the first fiscal quarter: loss of 25 cents.
- NCR makes hardware and software for the retail and financial services industries. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 72 cents.
- Motorola is a major manufacturer of chips and wireless communications equipment as well as consumer wireless devices. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 5 cents.
- Novellus makes manufacturing gear for chipmakers. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 11 cents.
- Proxim makes software and networking equipment for wireless home networks. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 4 cents.
- Silicon Graphics makes computer servers and workstations designed to handle graphics. Per-share consensus estimate for the second fiscal quarter: loss of 14 cents.
- StorageTek manufactures equipment for computer data storage networks. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 32 cents.
- Take Two Interactive Software makes computer game software. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 3 cents.
- Vignette makes software for businesses. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 5 cents.
- Vitesse Semiconductor makes chips for telecom gear. Per-share consensus estimate for the first fiscal quarter: loss of 13 cents.
- 1-800-Flowers.com is an online flower delivery service. Per-share consensus estimate for the second fiscal quarter: profit of 3 cents.
- Activision makes video game software. Per-share consensus estimate for the third fiscal quarter: profit of 58 cents.
- Agere Systems makes components for telecom equipment. Per-share consensus estimate for the first fiscal quarter: loss of 22 cents.
- Akamai operates an Internet content delivery service for Web sites and businesses through a network of servers. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 39 cents.
- Broadcom makes chips for communications and networking equipment as well as cable set-top boxes. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 12 cents.
- Citrix Systems makes computer network software for businesses. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 20 cents.
- Corning makes optical fiber for telecom networks. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 25 cents.
- Gadzoox Networks builds gear for storage networks. Per-share consensus estimate for the third fiscal quarter: loss of 25 cents.
- KLA-Tencor makes manufacturing equipment for chipmakers. Per-share consensus estimate for the second fiscal quarter: profit of 24 cents.
- LSI Logic makes chips for the communications, consumer and storage markets. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 24 cents.
- QLogic makes equipment for computer data storage networks. Per-share consensus estimate for the third fiscal quarter: profit of 19 cents.
- SAP makes software that helps businesses manage their operations. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 24 cents.
- Siebel Systems makes software for businesses. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 9 cents.
- Siemens makes equipment for the communications, industrial, transportation and consumer electronics sectors. No estimates were available for the first fiscal quarter.
- Tellabs makes telecom equipment. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 2 cents.
- Varian Semiconductor makes manufacturing equipment for chipmakers. Per-share consensus estimate for the first fiscal quarter: loss of 39 cents.
- Alltel provides local and long-distance phone service. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 74 cents.
- Avnet is a major distributor of computer products. Per-share consensus estimate for the second fiscal quarter: loss of 8 cents.
- BMC Software makes storage software. Per-share consensus estimate for the third fiscal quarter: profit of 7 cents.
- Borland Software makes software development tools. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 7 cents.
- BroadVision makes e-business and customer service software. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 5 cents.
- Convergys provides outsourced customer care and billing services to companies. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 37 cents.
- Cypress Semiconductor makes chips for communications and networking gear. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 11 cents.
- EMC makes computer data storage equipment and software. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 8 cents.
- Gateway makes PCs. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 1 cent.
- i2 Technologies develops software for manufactures as well as business-to-business e-commerce software. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 10 cents.
- JDS Uniphase makes components for optical telecom equipment. Per-share consensus estimate for the second fiscal quarter: loss of 2 cents.
- Lattice Semiconductor makes chips for communications, computer, industrial and military customers. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 5 cents.
- Lexmark International manufactures computer printers and accessories. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 44 cents.
- Network Engines makes software and hardware for Internet hosting, content and access companies. Per-share consensus estimate for the first fiscal quarter: loss of 11 cents.
- Nokia is a major manufacturer of cell phones and wireless equipment. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 18 cents.
- PeopleSoft makes software for businesses that helps manage inventory, customer relations, finance and inventory. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 16 cents.
- Peregrine Systems makes software for businesses that help manage inventory and other business functions. Per-share consensus estimate for the third fiscal quarter: loss of 8 cents.
- PMC-Sierra makes chips for telecom equipment. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: loss of 16 cents.
- Qualcomm makes chips and chip designs for wireless phones and equipment. Per-share consensus estimate for the first fiscal quarter: profit of 23 cents.
- RSA Security makes Internet security software. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: zero cents.
- SBC Communications is a regional "Baby Bell" phone company that operates in Midwestern and Pacific states. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 62 cents.
- Sybase makes e-business software for corporations. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 24 cents.
- Sony is a major manufacturer of consumer electronics. No estimates were available for the third fiscal quarter.
- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing is a major outsource manufacturer of chips. Per-share consensus estimate for the fourth quarter: profit of 4 cents.
| Economic Reports | | | | |
| |||||
| |||||
Tuesday, Jan. 22
- The index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI) is expected to rise 0.5 percent for December, as compiled by the Conference Board, a business group. In November, the LEI rose 0.5 percent. The index, designed to signal peaks and troughs in the business cycle, is a combination of 10 indicators, including consumer expectations, money supply data, and the change in housing permits issued. A falling index generally indicates an oncoming recession, while a climbing index signals an expansion.
- The Treasury Budget is a monthly report of the surplus or deficit of the U.S. government from the Department of Treasury. Analysts expect a surplus of $24.0 billion in December versus the previous month's surplus of $32.7 billion.
- Initial Claims refers to the number of people who filed for unemployment benefits each week as reported by the Department of Labor. Claims will be reported for the week ending Jan. 19.
- The National Association of Realtors reports Existing Home Sales for the month of December, representing the number of previously built homes sold nationwide. The data indicates the strength of demand in housing and in the overall economy on the premise that the economy heats up as more consumers buy homes, cars and other high-ticket items. Economists expect sales to fall to 5.15 million from 5.21 million in November.