Local companies fight it out

The appointment of Samuel Palmisano as the new CEO of IBM, and the "go-ahead" from the European Commission for the HP/Compaq merger dominated the international world of IT and telecommunications during the last two weeks.

[VIDEO]At home, the spate of local results and the "fights" between MGX and Motswedi, and CS Holdings and AST, stole much of the headline space.

• we saw a full-year loss from Bryant Technology (revenue also well down) and E-Data (no revenue for the year);
• satisfactory interims from Connection Group (both revenue and profit slightly up);
• poor half-year figures from Comparex (revenue static but attributable earnings well down);
• half-year losses from Interconnective Solutions (revenue also down) and Zaptronix (revenue also down); and
• profit warnings from UAM and Vesta Technologies.
• The future of E-Data has also been put in doubt following the release of its year-end numbers.

[Local]

Other local news included:

• the break-up of the relationship between MGX and Motswedi;
• the filing by CS Holdings for liquidation of DTS, an AST subsidiary;
• Treacle Venture Partners increased its shareholding in Datacentrix to 16%;
• the retirement announcement from Rob Howard, CEO of Intervid, and the appointment of Rob le Sueur as his successor;
• a reverse take-over at Community Technologies (C-Tech); and
• Safika Technologies established as an independent company, following the purchase of its remaining shares from Dimension Data.

• we saw a renewed battle emerging between AOL and Microsoft;
• Cell Data ceased operations;
• the merger of SAP`s subsidiaries, SAP Markets and SAP Portals into one subsidiary;
• the start of the split operations of Palm (Palm software division now a separate company);
• the breakdown of the merger talks between Micron Technology and Hynix Semiconductor;
• Microsoft`s closure of its unit that was making its UltimateTV set-top box; and
• the name change of Comverse Infosys to Verint Systems.

Fortune Magazine has just published its list of America`s 100 best companies to work for and technology organisations don`t come out too well with only 16 names in the list.

Paul Booth, MD, Global Research Partners

Additionally, look out for the possible buy-out of Red Hat by AOL; the possible buy-out of Xeikon by MAN Roland; the fate of Cedar (UK), which could be insolvent if the offer by Alchemy that is on the table does complete very quickly; the fate of Level 3 Comms which may need to restructure its debts; the possible link up between Hynix Semiconductor and Infineon AG and/or Samsung Electronics; and the announcement of the spin-off from Enterasys Networks of Aprisma effective from 13 February.

[International]

Other international news included:

• the appointments of Charles Boesenberg as president and CEO of NetIQ, Stephen Dow as chairman of Citrix, Richard Ellenberger as chairman of Broadwing, Ching-Fa Hwang as chairman of NetIQ, Bradley Houlberg as CEO of CTI Group, David Hushbeck as president and CEO of PlanetCAD, Scott McDonald as CEO of Hybrid Networks, Dov Ofer as president and CEO of Scitex Vision, Samuel Palmisano as CEO of IBM, David Reis as president and CEO of ImageID, Tom Turner as president and CEO of Itronix, and Bryan Zwan as CEO of Digital Lightwave;
• the resignations of David D`Attavio, chairman and CEO of Via Net.Works, Gerry Chastelet, co-founder, chairman, president and CEO of Digital Lightwave, Judson Goldsmith, CEO of Hybrid Networks, Tormod Hermansen, CEO of Telenor (as from 30 June), William Marriner, chairman and CEO of Exabyte, and David Reis, president and CEO of Scitex Vision;
• the retirements of Ching-Fa Hwang, president and CEO of NetIQ, Louis Gerstner, CEO of IBM, and James Kiggen, chairman of Broadwing; and
• job loss announcements from Corning, Energis, Exabyte, Gateway, Hitachi, InterTrust Technologies, NEC, NextCard and Read-Rite.

We saw excellent figures from Affiliated Computer, CanWest Global Comms, ESS Technology (back in the black), HPL Technologies, Intrado (back in the black), Mitek (back in the black), RMH TeleServices (back in the black), Verisity (back in the black) and WebSense.

Good numbers were recorded by Activision, Advent Software, ARM Holdings, Avant! (back in the black), Bisys Group, Bolt Technology (back in the black), CACI, Ceridian, ChoicePoint, Citrix Systems, ClearOne Comms, Crystal Decisions, CSC, CSG Systems International, EDB, Electronic Arts, Expedia (back in the black), Flextronics, Global Imaging Systems, Input/Output (back in the black), ITNet, JDA Software, Kingston Comms, Kronos, L-3 Comms, Logitech, Micros Systems (back in the black), Monolithic System Technology, MontaVista Software, National Processing, Neoware Systems (back in the black), O2Micro, Omnicell (back in the black), Opnet Technologies, Paradyne Networks (back in the black), PDF Solutions (back in the black), PeopleSoft, Qualcomm (back in the black), Renaissance Learning, ScanSource, SeeBeyond Technology (back in the black), SK Telecom, Soitec, Stellent, Storage Technology, Sypris Solutions, TDS, Three Five Systems (back in the black), Thus, TransNet, UTStarcom and Vodafone Telecel SA.

Satisfactory figures were posted by Artesyn Technologies, AsiaInfo Holdings, AXS-One (back in the black), Barra, Canon, Catapult Comms, CDW Computer Centers, Convergys, CSX, Gartner Group, Harte-Hanks HCL Technologies, Hutchinson Technology, Hyperion, IKON Office Solutions, Indus International (back in the black), InterTAN, Iridex, John H Harland, Mapics, Mentor Graphics, Micronetics, OSI Systems, SBC Comms, SGI (back in the black), Sento, US Cellular, VISX (back in the black) and Western Digital (back in the black).

Mediocre returns came from 3M, Actuate, Acxiom, Amdocs, Anaren Microwave, Anixter International, APC, Artisan Components, Autonomy, Avery Denison, Avid (but back in the black), Belden, BellSouth, BindView, Borland Software, Business Objects, Cadence Design Systems, Cadmus Comms, Carpenter Technology, Cass Info Systems, Centillium Comms (back in the black), Coherent, Compuware, Concerto Software, Consol Graphics, Creative Technologies, Cytec, Datawatch (but back in the black), Delano Technology (but back in the black), Diebold, Dover, DSP Group, DST Systems, ECTel, Electronics for Imaging (back in the black), Epcos, Equifax, FEI, FileNET, Forrester Research, General Cable, Group 1 Software, HCL Honeywell, Infosystems, IKOS SA, Inet Technologies, Infinium Software (back in the black), InFocus, Innoveda (but back in the black), Integrated Circuit Systems, Intergraph, International Rectifier, Intersil (back in the black), Ixia, KPMG (but back in the black), Lexmark, Lightbridge, Mechanical Dynamics, Mercury Interactive, Micrel, Microchip Technology, Micromuse, Microsemi, MTS (but back in the black), National Instruments, NCR, Nokia, Nova Comms, Novellus, O2Micro, Optical Comms Products, Orckit Comms (back in the black), PC Mall, Pioneer, Pivotal, QLogic, Quantum, RADVision, Rudolph Technologies, Sandisk, SAP, Sento, Siemens AG, SimpleTech, Somera Comms, Sony, SpectraLink, STMicroelectronics, Storage USA, Sunair Electronics, Sunrise Telecom, Sybase, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Technology Research (but back in the black), Technology Solutions Company, Timberline Software, Tower Semiconductor, Universal Electronics and Viad.

Very poor results were posted by Amazon.com (but in the black for the first time), AMX, BEI Technologies, Brightpoint, Concurrent Computer (but back in the black - just), eSoft, Foundry Networks, Gateway (but back in the black), ILOG, NetManage, Precise Software (but back in the black), RDM, Secure Computing (but back in the black), Silicon Labs, Synplicity and TTM Technologies.

Losses came from 724 Solutions, ACE*COMM, Actel, Acterna, Adaptec, Adept Technology, Advanced Fibre Comms, Agere Systems, Airspan Networks, Akamai Technologies, Alcatel, Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Alliance Semiconductor, Altera, Altigen, American Superconductor, Amkor Technology, AML Comms, Anadigics, AOL Time Warner, Applied Extrusion, Applied Micro Circuits, Applix, Ariba, Art Technology Group, Artisoft, Ascential Software, Aspect Comms, Aspen Technology, Asyst Technologies, AT&T, AT&T Wireless, Atlantic Data Services, Atmel, ATMI, Audiovox, Auspex, Avanex, AvantGo, Avici Systems, Aware, Axcelis Technology, BackWeb Technologies, BCE, Bell Canada International, Blue Martini Software, BMC Software, Bottomline Technologies, Broadcom, Broadvision, Broadwing, Brooks Automation, Bsquare, California micro Devices, CAM Commerce, Carrier Access, Celestica, Centra Software, Ceragon Networks, Chartered Semiconductor, CheckFree, ChipPAC, Cirrus Logic, Click Commerce, Click2learn, ClickSoftware Technologies, CNET Networks, Cognex, Cohu, Commerce One, Computer Access Technology, Computer Associates, Concero, Concur technology, CoorsTek, Corel, Corio, Corning, CoSine Comms, CSP, CTS, CyberSource, Cypress Semiconductor, Daleen Technologies, DDi, DiamondCluster International, Dice, Digital Impact, Digital Insight, Digital Lightwave, Digital River, Digitas, Docent, Documentum, E.piphany, EarthLink, Eastman Kodak, Elastic Networks, Eloyalty, Embarcadero Technologies, EMC, Emulex, Endwave, Entrust, ePresence, Ericsson, Evolve, Exabyte, EXE Technologies, Extensity, Exult, F5 Networks, Fairchild Semiconductor International, FalconStor Software, FreeMarkets, FrontRange Solutions, Fujitsu, Gadzoox Networks, General magic, Geoworks, Giga-Tronics, GRIC Comms, Harvey Electronics, HNC Software, Hummingbird, i2 Technologies, i3 Mobile, ImageX, iManage, Infineon Technologies AG, Informatica, Inforte, InfoSpace, Ingenuus, Insightful, Insignia Solutions, Intasys, IntelliCorp, Intentia International AB, Interactive Intelligence, InterNAP Networks, InterTrust Technologies, InterWAVE, Interwoven, Intevac, Intrusion, Ion Networks, Iona Technologies, ISSI, IXYS, JDS Uniphase, Kana Software, KLA-Tencor, Komag, Lam Research, Lante, Lattitude Comms, Legato Systems, Level 3 Comms, Lexar Media, LightPath Technologies, Lionbridge Technologies, LogicVision, LSI Logic, Lucent Technologies, M-Systems, Made2Manage Systems, MapInfo, Marimba, MatrixOne, Maxtor, McData, Metalink, Metawave, Micro Linear, Microlog, MicroStrategy, MIS AG, Misys, Mobius Management Systems, Motorola, Multex.com, Multilink Technology, N2H2, National Information Consortium, NEC, Netegrity, NetIQ, Netopia, NetScreen Technologies, Network Engines, Next Level Comms, Nuance Comms, Oak Technology, Omtool, Onyx Software, OpenWave Systems, Oplink Comms, Optibase, OTG Software, P-Com, Packeteer, Parthus Technologies, Peco II, Peregrine Systems, Pericom Semiconductor, Persistence Software, Pinnacle Systems, Pivotal, Pixelworks, PMC-Sierra, Polycom, Power-One, Previo, PRI Automation, ProBusiness, Proxim, Qwest Comms, Quest Software, Radcom, RadiSys, Radware, Read-Rite, RealNetworks, Repeater Technologies, RiverDeep Group Plc., RSA Security, SafeNet, Sanmina-SCI, Sapient, Schlumberger, SciQuest, Selectica, Semitool, Sierra Wireless, SignalSoft, Silicom, Silicon Image, Snap-on, Sonic Innovations, SoftNet Systems, SonicWALL, SpeechWorks International, ST Assembly Test Services, Starbase, StorageNetworks, Switchboard, Symmetricom, Synquest, Talarian, Technitrol, Tegal, Tekelec, Telelogic, Tellabs, Tellium, Telular, Terayon Comms, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, Transaction Systems Architects, Tricord Systems, Trident Microsystems, Trimble, Tripath Technology, Tumbleweed Comms, Tut Systems, Tvia, Ubizen NV, UMC, ValiCert, Vastera, VeriSign, Veritas Software, Verizon Comms, Versant, Versus Technology, Vialta, Viasystems Group, Vignette, Vina Technologies, VitalWorks, Vitesse Semiconductors, Vitria Technology, VocalTec Comms, Webhire, WebMethods, Westell Technologies, Western Multiplex, WJ Comms, X-Rite, Xerox, Xicor, Zamba, ZixIt, Zones, Zoran and Zygo.

Other financial news included share buy-back announcements from Plantronics; a share split from Symantec; and profit warnings from AOL TimeWarner, AT&T, Celestica, Creative Technology, Fibernet, JDS Uniphase, Next Level Comms, Qualcomm, SAP SI, Tekelec, Toshiba and Virage.

There was also a delayed IPO from Verizon Wireless; a good IPO from Synaptics; and a satisfactory IPO from Bharti Tele-Ventures on the Bombay Stock Exchange. Additionally, Asia Global Crossing, Beyond.com and McLeod filed for Chapter 11 protection and Micrel announced it was restating its results from 1998.

Locally

Casey (-50%)
Crux (-28.6%)
Elexir (-25%)
Explorer (+200%)
Jasco (+30.8%)
Labat Africa (+42.9%)
Micrologix (+66.7%)
Softline (+52.1%)
Vesta (-28.6%)
Y3K (-50%)

Internationally

Applied Microsystems (+48.8%)
AXS-One (+48.2%)
BCICF (-55.6%)
CDO (-37%)
Creative (+38%)
Entrust Technologies (-39.2%)
Focal Comms (-41.2%)
Geoworks (-49.4%)
Network Plus (-37.8%)
On-Snap (-38.2%)
TWSTY (-36.6%)

Fortune Magazine has just published its list of America`s 100 best companies to work for and technology organisations don`t come out too well with only 16 names in the list.

SAS Institute is at number three, Xilinx at number five, Qualcomm at eighth (the only telecoms company in the list), CDW Computer Centers at 13^th, and Cisco at 15th.

Notable by their absence are Accenture, AOL Time Warner, Compaq, Dell, EDS, HP, IBM, Oracle and Xerox.