Mail.com says 4Q revenue above expectations

Mail.com, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAIL) said Thursday it expects fourth-quarter revenue to be about $6 million, 34 percent more than analysts expected.

Shares in the leading global provider of Internet messaging services to the business and consumer markets closed at 15 1/8 Wednesday. The stock took a slight dip after it announced it would acquire NetMoves Corp. (Nasdaq: NTMV) in a stock deal valued at $173 million to expand its range of messaging services and speed its market penetration.

The company predicted revenue will be up 79 percent over the third quarter of 1999 six times higher than the fourth quarter of 1998. This increase over third quarter 1999 revenues was driven by growth in both the business and consumer sides of the company's operations.

First Call's consensus estimate has the company losing 43 cents a share in its fourth quarter.

Final results for the fourth quarter will be released in early February, the company said.