Tech Darling VMware Falls on Microsoft Posturing

Amazon, Microsoft fall after weak earnings

(NEWSER) - The tech sector exerted downward pressure on stocks today, snapping the Nasdaq’s 12-day winning streak, the Wall Street Journal reports. Microsoft sank 8.9% after reporting a 29% drop in quarterly earnings, while Amazon fell 8.3% after also reporting a disappointing quarter. Alcoa, Pfizer, and Merck helped the Dow climb with modest advances. The Dow gained 23.95 points to close at 9,093.24. The Nasdaq lost 7.64, settling at 1,965.96, and the S&P 500 added 2.97, closing at 979.26. More»

$382M is off 68% from Q4 of '07; search giants looks to have restrained spending

(AP) - Quarterly profit at Google fell for the first time, although the performance was better than analysts anticipated. Google made $382 million, or $1.21 per share, in the three months ending in December—a 68% drop from the same period in 2007. The results indicated the company was able to rein in its free-spending ways enough to offset a slowdown in the online ad market that generates most of its revenue. More»

(NEWSER) - Microsoft surprised the street today by releasing its earnings early, and they weren’t pretty. The software giant’s revenues inched up only 2%, below earlier guidance, and its net income dropped 11%. More alarming, the company said it was slashing 5,000 jobs, starting with 1,400 today, which amounts to 5.5% of its workforce. “We are not immune to the effects of the economy,” said Steve Ballmer. More»

Revenue of $14.5 billion virtually unchanged from last year

(NEWSER) - Microsoft's profits fell 11% in the third quarter amid concern that corporate clients are cutting back during the economic downturn, Bloomberg reports. The software giant reported net income of $4.39 billion, or 47 cents a share, down from $4.93 billion a year ago. The company's revenue remained flat at $14.5 billion, in line with estimates but disappointing investors, Bloomberg notes. Shares fell 4.5%. More»

PC and overseas sales boost earnings

(NEWSER) - Hewlett-Packard thumbed its nose at concerns over falling tech spending today, posting a 38% rise in earnings and 15% revenue jump in its first quarter, the Wall Street Journal reports. The health of the tech giant, boosted by PC and overseas sales, is good news for an industry whose leaders, including Microsoft and Google, don’t expect a booming 2008. More»