STOCKS TO WATCH: Cirrus Logic, CompuWare, Macromedia
Expect the following technology stocks to be among Thursday's most actively traded issues: Cirrus Logic, Compuware and Macromedia.
The chipmaker met analysts' estimates in its fourth quarter, earning $4.6 million, or 6 cents a share, including a $17.4 million inventory charge, on sales of $199.7 million.
First Call consensus pegged it for a profit of 6 cents a share this quarter.
In the year-ago period, it pocketed $3.7 million, or 5 cents a share, on sales of $160.2 million.
Company executives said it expects sales by its magnetic storage unit to decline by 20 percent in the first quarter and said overall sales would decline by between 10 percent and 15 percent in the quarter.
The stock closed up 7 cents to $16.70 before moving up to $17.40 in after-hours trading.
The systems management software developer will be active Thursday after meeting analysts' profit estimates in its fourth quarter even though total sales fell shy of estimates.
Compuware posted a profit of $59.1 million, or 16 cents a share, on sales of $514.5 million.
First Call consensus pegged it for a profit of 16 cents a share on sales of $533 million.
Including one-time charges, the company earned $46.6 million, or 12 cents a share, compared to the $46.5 million, or 12 cents a share, it made in the year-ago quarter.
Compuware shares closed off 25 cents to $11.01 ahead of the earnings report before falling to $10.75 in after-hours trading.
Macromedia shares figure to slide Thursday after it missed analysts' estimates in its fourth quarter Wednesday, earning $8.4 million, or 16 cents a share, on sales of $89.1 million.
First Call consensus pegged the Web authoring software developer for a profit of 20 cents a share in the quarter.
Its shares closed up $2.88, or 12 percent, to $26.58 ahead of the earnings report before tumbling to $24.01 in after-hours trading.
The $89.1 million in sales marks only a 3 percent improvement from the year-ago quarter when it earned $16.8 million, or 30 cents a share, on sales of $86.4 million.
Chief Executive Officer Rob Burgess said the company initiated cost-cutting measures this quarter in an effort to return operating profits above 20 percent in future quarters.
"While we continue to see great opportunities for Macromedia, the economic climate has significantly reduced our visibility into future financial results," Burgess said in a prepared release. "Therefore, we will not be providing any financial guidance for the near term."