'Net Earnings Roundup: Ariba misses: Beyond.com, Preview Travel score

Ariba Inc. (Nasdaq: ARBA) missed analysts' estimates by a mile Wednesday, losing $6 million, or 46 cents a share, on sales of $11.9 million in its third quarter.

First Call consensus pegged the maker of business-to-business electronic commerce software for a loss of 30 cents a share in the quarter.

Ariba shares closed up 11 to 121 ahead of the earnings report.

In the year-ago quarter, it lost $2.6 million, or 42 cents a share, on sales of $9.4 million.

"The strong revenue growth in the quarter was a result of extending our leading base of blue chip buyers," said CEO Keith Krach in a prepared release.

After its dazzling initial public offering in June, the stock quickly surged as high as 138 1/16.

The lone analyst covering the stock rates it a "buy."

First Call consensus expects it to lose 78 cents a share in the fiscal year.

Among other Internet companies reporting earnings Wednesday:

Beyond.com Inc. (Nasdaq: BYND) posted a smaller-than-expected loss in its second quarter Wednesday, losing $21.9 million, or 62 cents a share, on sales of $26.3 million.

First Call consensus expected the online software retailer to lose 65 cents a share in the quarter.

The $26.3 million in sales represents a 247 percent improvement from the year-ago quarter when it lost 23 cents a share on sales of $7.6 million.

Overall cumulative customer accounts grew to more than 1.6 million in the second quarter, an increase of 33 percent from the 1.2 million cumulative customer accounts in the first quarter of 1999.

According to Media Metrix, Beyond.com's reach on the Internet in June was 4.0 making it the 10th most-visited shopping site.

Its shares closed off ? to 26 1/16 Wednesday.