AT&T splits into four

The announcement that AT&T is to split up into four units and the plethora of quarterly results dominated the international world of IT and telecommunications last week.

There are strong rumours circulating that JD Edwards is in the process of acquiring GEAC of Canada.

Paul Booth, MD, Global Research Partners

At home, the results and the offshore disposals by IST stole much of the local headline space during a comparatively quiet week.

• we saw good full-year figures from MB Technologies (but margins squeezed);

• a full-year loss from Brainware (revenue also well down);

• poor interim numbers from IST; and

• a half-year loss from OSI Holdings (revenue also down).

[Local]

Other local news included:

• the announcement by MB Technologies that it has put its US part-listing on hold;

• ITWeb made the short-list for "The Non-Listed Company of the Year" award (the only technology company to do so); and

• the entry into SA of Touch Technology International via Nemotech

On the international front

• the name change of Global Dynamics to GDI Infotech;

• and the announcements that AT&T and WorldCom are planning to split into multiple units. AT&T intends to split into four parts; AT&T Wireless; AT&T Broadband, the cable business; the parent company owning the Business Services Division and the consumer unit. WorldCom intends to separate its long distance operations from the rest of its business. Additionally, there are strong rumours circulating that JD Edwards is in the process of acquiring GEAC of Canada.

[International]

Other international news included:

• the

  appointments

  of Bernard Dvorak as CEO of Formus Comms, Toichi Hamajima as CEO of HD Microsystems, Harry Schacht as CEO of Lucent Technologies, and Shoei Yamana as president and COO of Minolta-QMS;

• the

  resignation

  of Rich McGinn, chairman and CEO of Lucent Technologies; and

• job loss announcements from Cambridge Technology Partners, KPN, Lexmark, PNV, Stamps.com and Xerox

We saw excellent figures from Adaptive Broadband (back in the black), AremisSoft, ASM International NV, Avnet, Benchmark Electronics, Cabot Microelectronics, CDW Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (back in the black), Computer Centers, Corning, Ddi, Dialog Semiconductor, EPIQ Systems, Forrester Research, ICOS Vision Systems, International FiberCom, ISSI (back in the black), Ixia, JDS Uniphase, Manhattan Associates, Mercury Interactive, Micromuse, Photon Dynamics, Sanmina, Siebel Systems, Varian Semiconductor, VeriSign and Wireless Facilities.

Losses came from 3Dlabs, 724 Solutions, About, Accelerated Networks, Adaptive Broadband, Adept Technology, Aether Systems, AirNet Comms, Amazon.com, American Superconductor, Apropos Technology, Ariel, Ascendant Solutions, Ask Jeeves, Aspen Technology, Avaya, BackWeb Technologies, Biper, Blue Wave Systems, Bluestone Software, BMC Software, Bottomline Technologies, Brio Technology, Calico Commerce, Cambridge Technology Partners, CCC Information Services Group, Celeris, CenterSpan Comms, Ceragon Networks, CheckFree, Ciber, Chordiant Software, Citadel Comms, Clarus, Clearnet Comms, Click Commerce, ClickSoftware, CNET Networks, Command Systems, Commtouch, Computer Horizons, ComTech Comms, Concurrent Computer, Continuus Software, Corio, CTC Comms Group, Data Dimensions, Datakey, Datastream Systems, Delano Technology, Digex, Digital Insight, Digitas, Eclipsys, Egghead.com, Elite Information Group, Eloquent, eMachines, ePresence, Eprise, eShare comms, e.spire Comms, Evoke Comms, Evolving Systems, Excite@Home, Exult, Firstwave Technologies, Flag Telecom, FVC.COM, Gadzoox Networks, Gensym, Geoworks, Globecomm Systems, Gray Comms, GRIC Comms, Hybrid Networks, Hyperion, iBeam, Ibis Technology, IIS, ILOG SA, Imation, InfoSpace, InfoVista SA, Innoveda, Inprimis, Inrange Technologies, Integrated Telecom Express, Interact Commerce, InterNAP Network Services, Internet America, Internet Business`s International, InterTrust Technologies, interWAVE Comms, InterWorld, IntraNet Solutions, ITC DeltaCom, ITXC, IVI Checkmate, Juno Online Services, KPNQwest NV, L90, Lante, Leap Wireless International, Legato Systems, Level 8 Systems, Lexar Media, Lucent Technologies, Maddison River Comms, Madge Networks NV, Maxtor, McLeodUSA, MCT, MEMC Electronic Materials, Metawave Comms, Micros Systems, MicroStrategy, MicroTouch Systems, Microware Systems, Mobility Electronics, Mobius Management, NCD, Neon Systems, Net Perceptions, NetGenesis, NetSpeak, Network Commerce, Network Peripherals, Network Plus, Nextel Comms, Nextel Partners, NIC, Nortel Networks, NorthPoint Comms, Nuance, o2wireless Solutions, Odetics, ON Technology, Peregrine Systems, Persistence Software, Pliant Systems, Precise Software, Preview Systems, Prodigy Comms, Quantum HDD Group, Quest Software, Radcom, RadView Software, Rare Medium, Razorfish, Resonate, Rhythms NetConnections, S3, Sagent Technology, Sanchez Computer Associates, SCC Comms, SCO, Segue Software, ServiceWare Technologies, SGI, SI Technologies, SignalSoft, SilverStream Software, SmartDisk, Smith Micro, Sony, SRS Labs, STC, Storage Networks, Symix, TCSI, Technology Solutions, Tecnomatix, Telaxis Comms, Telecomms Systems, Tower Semiconductor, Tricord Systems, Triton Network Systems, Triton PCS, TriZetto, Ultimate Software, Universal Access, USA Networks, USinternetworking, ValiCert, Vasco, VerticalNet, Viador, Viant, Vignette, Virage, Virata, Vitrix, Vixel, VocalTec Comms, Walker Interactive Systems, Wavecom, Wavo, Webb Interactive Services, Western Digital, Williams Comms, Xerox, XM Satellite Radio Holdings and ZipLink.

Good numbers were recorded by ACT Manufacturing (back in the black), ActivCard, Activision, Advanced Fibre Comms, Advanced Power Technology, Alltel, American Microsystems, Anadigics, Andrew, Avant, AXT, Barra, Brightpoint, BSQUARE, ChipPAC, CommScope, Compaq, Concord EFS, Creative Technology, CSG Systems International, CT Comms, CTS, Dassault Systemes, Datum (back in the black), DSP Group, Fairchild Semiconductor (back in the black), FileMaker, Fiserv, General Semiconductor, Harris, ICT Group, Illuminet Holdings, Indigo Vision Group Plc., InfoInterActive (back in the black), Information Holdings, Ingram Micro, Inktomi (back in the black), Integrated Circuit Systems, Kent Electronics, L3 Comms Holdings, Logitech, M~Wave (back in the black), Management Network Group, MCSi, Mentor Graphics, Metalink (back in the black), NEC, Oak Technology (back in the black), Omnicom, Optibase, PCTEL, Plexus, PSi Technologies, Quantum DLT & Storage Systems, Quest Comms, Quick Logic, Radyne ComStream, Samsung, Sanyo, SCI Systems, Silicom, Siliconix, Simple Technology, Software AG, Systar, Technitrol, TeleTech, Telus, Tetra Technologies, Tyco International, TyCom, Univision, UTStarcom, Versant, Viacom, Vishay Intertechnology and West TeleServices.

Satisfactory results came from 3M, Acxiom, Affiliated Computer Services, Ansys, AT&T Wireless, Bell Canada, Borland (back in the black), Diebold, EDS, eForce, FiberMark (back in the black), Fujitsu, Glenayre Technologies (back in the black), IKON Office Solutions, Netegrity (back in the black), Remedy, Sapient, SBC Comms, Sitel (back in the black), SPX, Syntel, Storage USA, Telenor, The BISYS Group, Toshiba (back in the black), Unigraphics Solutions and Valassis.

Mediocre returns came from Analysts International, Anixter, APC, Aris (but back in the black), AT&T, C-Cube, CGI Group, Comms Systems, CompuCom, Computer Associates, Consolidated Graphics, CryptoLogic, Embratel, F5 Networks, Global Imaging Systems, Hifn, Infonautics (but back in the black), Inter-Tel, Keane, Kronos, Lanier Worldwide, Lexmark, LSI Logic, Microtel (but back in the black), Network Six, New Horizons, Newgen Results, Novadigm, Open Text, Performance Technologies, SCT, Sonera, Storage Technology (but back in the black), Sunquest Information Systems, Teledyne Technologies, WorldCom and Ziff Davis Media.

Very poor figures came from ACE*COMM, Comshare, CSP, Data I/O (but back in the black), Datron Systems, Ecsoft Group, Flexiinternational, Intelligent Systems, InterDigital, Jacada Systems (but back in the black), MatrixOne (but back in the black), Mechanical Dynamics, Onyx Software, Panja, Radiant Systems, SDRC, Signal Technology, Socket Comms, Stanford Microdevices, TransAct Technologies, Trident Microsystems (but back in the black) and Viisage Technology.

Other financial news included profit warnings from Acer, Computer Associates, Framtidsfabriken AB, Fujitsu (Amdahl cut-backs), Lexmark, National Semiconductor, Net perceptions, Psion and SPSS; and a share split announcement from Technitrol.

Locally

CCH (-24.2%)
CIH (-50%)
Cyberhost (-25%)
I-Solution (+33.3%)
I-Tech (+60%)
Infowave (-27.8%)
MB Technologies (-24.4%)
Micrologix (+66.7%)
OAI (-33.1%)
SecData (-50%)
Stella Vista (+25%)

Internationally

ConMat Technologies (-39.2%)
CNET Networks (+39.7%)
JDA Software (+36.8%)
KPNQwest NV (+41.8%)
Level 8 Systems (-39.2%)
MDSI Mobile Data Systems (+37.9%)
National Semiconductor (-38.2%)
Nortel Networks (-37.7%)
Peerless Systems (+68.3%)

The bulk of the remaining international quarterly results should be declared this week, with Alcatel, Cisco, Deutsche Telekom and Hitachi among the big names on the list.

From a local perspective, there`s no major exhibition/conference this week, but there are still several planned in Southern Africa before the silly season closes in on us.