November 30, 2000 4:33 PM PST
STOCKS TO WATCH: Agile, Autodesk, Serena Software and VA Linux
Expect the following technology stocks to be among Friday's most actively traded issues: Agile, Autodesk, Serena Software and VA Linux.
Agile should rebound Friday after it hurdled analysts' estimates in its second quarter, posting a loss of $642,000, or 1 cent a share, on sales of $20.2 million.
Agile shares closed off $9.13 to $63.88 ahead of the earnings report.
First Call Corp. consensus expected it to post a loss of 2 cents a share in the quarter.
The $20.2 million in sales marks a 192 percent improvement from the year-ago quarter when it lost $2.1 million, or 7 cents a share, on sales of $6.9 million.
Licensing sales increased to $15.2 million in the quarter, up 225 percent from $4.7 million in the year-ago quarter.
It posted a net loss of $14.1 million, or 31 cents a share, compared to a loss of $4.3 million, or 14 cents a share, in the year-ago period.
The software developer should be active after it topped analysts' estimates in its third quarter, earning $21.9 million, or 38 cents a share, on sales of $221.8 million.
First Call Corp. consensus pegged the software developer for a profit of 34 cents a share in the quarter.
Its shares closed off 75 cents to $21 ahead of the earnings report.
The $221.8 million in sales marks a 10 percent improvement from the year-ago quarter when it earned $16.7 million, or 27 cents a share, on sales of $202.1 million.
Autodesk shares soared up to a 52-week high of $56.06 in March before falling to a low of $19.44 in October.
Seven of the eight analysts following the stock maintain a "buy" recommendation.
First Call Corp. consensus expects it to earn $1.80 a share in the fiscal year.
Among other technology companies reporting earnings after the bell Thursday:
Serena will be active after it beat the Street in its third quarter, earning $9.4 million, or 23 cents a share, on sales of $26.6 million.
Analysts were forecasting a profit of 19 cents a share in the quarter.
Its shares finished off $2.19 to $51.88 ahead of the earnings report.
The $26.6 million in sales marks a 40 percent improvement from the year-ago quarter when it raked in $4.7 million, or 12 cents a share, on sales of $19 million.
If after-hour trading is any indication, VA Linux shares will be active Friday after it met analysts' reduced estimates in its first quarter but still posted a loss of $7 million, or 15 cents a share, on sales of $56.1 million.
First Call Corp. consensus expected the Linux-based software developer to lose 15 cents a share.
Ahead of the earnings report, its shares closed off 63 cents to a 52-week low of $12. In after-hours trading, it moved up $2.06 to $14.06.
Analysts originally pegged VA Linux for a loss of 9 cents a share in the quarter but lowered their estimates earlier this quarter when the company warned that sluggish demand from new dot-com customers would result in lower sales and wider losses.
The $56.1 million in sales represents a 278 percent improvement from the year-ago quarter when it lost $7.2 million, or 27 cents a share, on sales of $14.8 million.
In the quarter, it posted a net loss of $51.3 million, or $1.12 a share compared to a loss of $10.1 million, or $2 a share, in the year-ago quarter.
