Tech Firms Offer Investors a Mixed Snapshot - Commentary on Microsoft
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COMMENTARY ON MICROSOFT:
PAT BECKER JR., CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER, BECKER CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, PORTLAND, OREGON, WHICH OWNS MICROSOFT
"I think you're seeing the quarter come in in line with expectations
for the most part. Microsoft was in line to slightly better. With IBM,
it was a very solid number. They came in at $1.98 versus estimates of
1.82. I think you're seeing a little more caution on guidance
reflecting this uncertain environment."
KIM CAUGHEY, ANALYST, FORT PITT CAPITAL GROUP
"The top line was great. I'm trying to figure out where the penny went."
"The thing I'm extremely bullish about is their forecast for the
future for top line growth. This is a company that brings in $60
billion dollars in revenue in a year and for it to constantly say that
it's going to do more and better year after year that's always a good
sign."
"The other thing is Microsoft generally underpromises and
overdelivers. So I think that it's bullish for technology that they see
demand out there."
ANDY MIEDLER, ANALYST, EDWARD JONES
"Their core business did okay. However we were a little disappointed
in the traction we're seeing out of Microsoft's Internet advertisement
business."
"The guidance was a little light....We would expect the technology
area to be impacted by what's going on in the economy. Microsoft
narrowing their outlook a bit for the coming year, we think it's
reasonable given the challenging economic conditions."
"I think the big thing is while Microsoft's core businesses of
Windows, Office and server did well, investors are really keying in on
Internet advertisement given all the Yahoo drama over the last few
months."
On Vista:
"In the fourth quarter, results in this unit were a bit ahead of
what we were expecting so that looked okay. However, we are a bit
cautious given if companies are going to cut back on spending,
upgrading to Vista is one of those areas we can see them being cautious
on."
((Reporting by Sue Zeidler in Los Angeles; and Kenneth Li, Jim
Finkle, Ritsuko Ando and Calvin Mankowski in New York; compiled by Adam
Tanner)
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