X

Earnings Roundup: Dallas Semi, Avanex top estimates

2 min read

Dallas Semiconductor became the latest chipmaker to beat Street estimates in its first quarter Thursday, pocketing $21.7 million, or 34 cents a share, on sales of $118.1 million.

First Call consensus expected it to earn 32 cents a share in the quarter.

Ahead of the earnings report, Dallas Semiconductor (NYSE: DS) shares closed up 1 15/16 to 35 1/8.

The $118.1 million in sales represents a 33 percent improvement from the year-ago quarter when it earned $15.2 million, or 25 cents a share, on sales of $88.6 million.

"As we begin the second quarter, we're starting with a record 90-day backlog of $70 million, up $10 million compared to the first quarter," said CEO Vin Prothro in a prepared release. "As a result, we are optimistic for continued growth in the near-term"

Company officials said its communications-chip business grew 90 percent from the year-ago quarter while its mixed-signal chips and network-computing unit improved 29 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

Dallas Semiconductor shares hit a 52-week high of 49 in March, shortly after announcing a 2-for-1 stock split. It bottomed out at 20 3/16 last April.

Seven of the eight analysts tracking the stock rate it either a "buy" or "strong buy."

Among other technology firms reporting earnings Thursday:

  • Avanex Corp. (Nasdaq: AVNX) got off on the right foot Thursday, beating Street estimates by 3 cents a share in its first quarter as a publicly traded company.

    Avanex, which makes a variety of fiber-optic products, posted a loss of $2.9 million, or 8 cents a share, on sales of $10.5 million.

    In the year-ago quarter, it lost $1.8 million, or 80 cents a share.

    Avanex shares closed off 11 5/16, or 13 percent, to 76 3/16 ahead of the earnings report.

  • Broadbase Software Inc. (Nasdaq: BBSW) also reported a smaller-than-expected loss in its first quarter, dropping $5.5 million, or 14 cents a share, on sales of $6.3 million.

    Analysts were expecting a loss of 17 cents a share in the quarter.

    Broadbase shares closed up 3/16 to 19 1/2 ahead of the earnings report.

    The $5.5 million in sales marks a 324 percent surge from the year-ago quarter when it lost $4.5 million, or $1.29 a share, on sales of $1.5 million.

    First Call consensus expects it to lose 54 cents a share in the fiscal year.

  • Saba Software Inc. (Nasdaq: SABA) check in with strong sales growth in its first quarter as a publicly traded company.

    The software developer lost $16 million, or $1.04 a share, on sales of $5.2 million.

    There was no First Call consensus estimate for Saba this quarter.

    The $5.2 million in sales was a whopping 839 percent improvement from the year-ago quarter when it lost $2.5 million, or 19 cents a share, on sales of $554,000.

    Saba shares closed off 5 5/8, or 21 percent, to 20 7/8 ahead of the earnings report.>