Microsoft`s $32bn dividend pay-out

Microsoft`s $32bn dividend pay-out and the loss by SCO in its Linux campaign dominated the international IT news last week.

At home, JSE`s decision not to close the Development Capital and Venture Capital sectors and the ongoing arguments over potential job losses at Telkom stole much of the ICT headline space.

Local news included the announcement of a BEE partnership between Orion Telecom and Tema Telecoms; the investment in EPI-USE Systems by a BEE consortium led by Avalanche SA and Nokusa Holdings; the appointment of Satish Roopa as chairman of Vesta Technology Holdings; the reverse take-over of Zaptronix.

New local distributorships included that of Bottomline Technologies by Centerfield Software; whilst a new business alliance was announced by Xantium Technology and Hansen to pursue major government contracts.

Look out for the outcome of Datatec`s discussions regarding black investment.

On the African scene we saw Jet Distribution gain the Acer distributorship for Africa (excl SA).

* The largest ever dividend pay-out from Microsoft ($35bn);
* The loss by SCO of its lawsuit against DaimlerChrysler;
* The proposed name change of Lindows to Linspire.

Other international news included:

* the appointments of Sohaib Abbasi as President and CEO of Informatica, Joe Cowan as CEO of Manugistics, David Friedensohn as CEO of UPOC Networks, Eugene Hall as CEO of Gartner, Barclay Knapp as Chairman of UPOC Networks, Donald McGauchie as Chairman of Telstra, Carmine Napolitano as CEO of Computer Access Technology, John Roulston as CEO of Filtronic and Godfrey Sullivan as President and CEO of Hyperion;

* the resignations of Gaurav Dhillon as CEO of Informatica and David McCourt, founder and CEO of RCN (stays on as chairman);

* the retirements of Larry O`Brien CEO of Calian Technology and Dan Wilnai CEO of Computer Access Technology;

* a job loss announcement from LogicaCMG.

Look out for the outcome of Datatec`s discussions regarding black investment.

Paul Booth, MD, Global Research Partners

Excellent* figures came from ACS-Tech80, Atheros Comms (back in the black), ATMI (back in the black), AU Electronics, AudioCodes (back in the black), Broadcom (back in the black), Carrier Access, Ceradyne, Chartered Semiconductor (back in the black), Cymer (back in the black), Digital River, eBay, FormFactor, Helix Technology (back in the black), Interphase (back in the black), ISSI (back in the black), M-Systems (back in the black), Mattson Technology, MKS Instruments (back in the black), Navarre, Navigant Consulting, Open Solutions, PDSi, Photon Dynamics (back in the black), Sierra Wireless, Sirenza Microdevices (back in the black), SiRF Technology (back in the black), Skyworks (back in the black), SST (back in the black), Teradyne (back in the black), Tessera Technologies and Yahoo Japan.

Very good* numbers came from Activision, Advanced Power Technology, Altera, Amphenol, Ascential Software, Atmel (back in the black), Calian Technology, Catapult Comms, CDW, Cognex, Cohu, Corning (back in the black), EMC, Epicor, F5 Networks, First Data, Freescale Semiconductor (back in the black), Hyperion, Inficon (back in the black), Keithley Instruments (back in the black), Lam Research, LG Electronics, Linear Technology, Logitech International, Mastek Group, Micrel (back in the black), Microchip Technology, Microsemi, MIND CTI, MIPS Technologies, Nextel Comms, On2 Technologies (back in the black), Pervasive Software, Pixelworks, Plantronics, Polycom, Qualcomm, Ramtron, Sanmina-SCI, SeeBeyond (back in the black), SigmaTel, Smith Micro, SS&C Technologies, Sunrise telecom (back in the black), SupportSoft, Symantec, Tessco, Texas Instruments, TriQuint Semiconductor (back in the black), Virage Logic (back in the black), VISX, Wipro and Xilinx.

Good figures* were recorded by Actel, Acxiom, Aladdin Knowledge Systems, Amazon (back in the black), Amdocs, Aprisma Management Technologies, ARM Holdings, Artesyn Technologies (back in the black), Avid Technology, Avocent, Benchmark Electronics, Cabot Electronics, Captiva Software, Cendant, ChoicePoint, Computer Access Technology, CTS, Digital Insight, DSP Group, EFI, Ericsson (back in the black), Electronic Arts, Exponent, Fiserv, Flextronics (back in the black), Getty Images, Global Imaging, Global Payments, Honeywell, Hummingbird, Internet Security Systems, Ixia, j2 Global Comms, Keane, Lexmark, MapInfo, Microsoft, MTS, Network Engines, Peak International (back in the black), Phoenix Technologies (back in the black), Power Integrations, Promos (back in the black), RadiSys, RF Micro Devices (back in the black), RSA Security, Secure Computing, Siebel Systems, STMicroelectronics, SunGard, Supertex, Synplicity (back in the black), Telenor, Telex Comms (back in the black), Telfort BV, Tellabs (back in the black), TietoEnator, TNS (back in the black), UGS, Vasco and Witness Systems (back in the black).

Satisfactory* results were reported by 3M, Applied Films, Apropos Technology (back in the black), Borland Software, Boston Comms Group, Cadence Design Systems (back in the black), CCC Information Services, CEVA, Citrix, Computer Associates, Corillian, CorVel, CTG, Diebold, Dun & Bradstreet, Eastman Kodak, Equifax, Extreme Networks (back in the black), FileNet, Giga-tronics (but back in the black), Insight Enterprises, Inter-Tel, Interactive Data, Lucent Technologies (back in the black), MobileOne, NVE, Omtool (back in the black), PC Connection, ProQuest, PTC (back in the black), Retek (back in the black), SAP, Sprint, StorageTek, Sun Microsystems, TDS (back in the black), TSYS, Xerox, Zarlink Semiconductor (back in the black) and Zetex.

Mediocre* returns came from AFC, Alltel, AT&T, AT&T Wireless, Autonomy, Cable & Wireless, Cass Information Systems, Castelle, CDI, Cingular Wireless, Computer Programs & Systems, Compuware, Convergys, Datawatch, DoubleClick, DST Systems, EDB Business Partner ASA (but back in the black), First Consulting Group (back in the black), Foundry Networks, Gartner, i2 Hutchison Technology, Technologies, Imation, Inet Technologies, Informatica, Information Holdings, infoUSA, InVision Technologies, Itron, JDA Software Group, Mercury Interactive, Nera ASA, Nortech Systems, Nuvo Network Management, Packeteer, PEC Solutions, Persistence Software (but back in the black), QRS, Rogers Wireless, SBC Comms, SpectraLink, STET Hellas Telecomms SA, Sybase, Syntel, Trident Microsystems (but back in the black), US Cellular, Valassis, VeriSign (but back in the black), Westell Technologies and XRT; while very poor results* came from Agere Systems (but back in the black-just), ICT Group, Interlink Electronics, Intrado, Rogers Comms, Socket Comms (but back in the black), Tetra Tech and Vicor (but back in the black).

Losses* came from Advent Software, Aehr Test Systems, Applied Innovation, Applied Micro Circuits, Ariba, Arris, ATG, Avici Systems, Avistar Comms, AXT, Blue Martini Software, BroadVision, Brooktrout, Callidus Software, Celestica, ChromaVision, Cirrus Logic, Copper Mountain Networks, Digital Impact, E.piphany, EarthLink, Embarcadero Software, Embratel Participacoes SA, eMerge Interactive, Equant, Evans & Sutherland, Gateway, iBasis, Ibis Technology, IDT, Infineon, Innovex, Insignia Systems, InsWeb, Intentia, Interwoven, Iomega, Kana, Kemet, Lattice Semiconductor, LeapFrog, Maxtor, Mentor Graphics, MetaSolv, Micro Linear, Micromuse, Mindspeed Technologies, Motorola, MRV Comms, Nanophase, Neoforma, Netopia, NetPrise, NetSolve, PDF Solutions, Plexus, PowerDsine, QuickLogic, Radcom, Redback Networks, Seagate Technology, Selectica, Sento, Sify, Silicom, Silicon Image, Sirius, Somera, Stamps.com, Stellent, Stratex Networks, Stratus Technologies International, Tekelec, Telular, Terra Lycos, Thomson SA, TNS, Tollgrade, Tower Semiconductor, Transmeta, Tumbleweed Comms, Ultimate Software, Ultratech, Vastera, Vignette, Viisage, Visual Networks, Vitesse Semiconductor, VocalTec, WatchGuard, WebMethods, WJ Comms, XATA, Zhone Technologies, Ziff Davis and ZiLOG.

Other financial news included analyst upgrades for Advent Software, Cirrus Logic, Convergys, CyberSource, Digital Insight, EPIQ Systems, Gateway, ICOS, ICT Group, Keane, Linear Technology, PTC, Sonus Networks, SS&C Technologies, Skyworks Solutions and Tessco Technologies; analyst downgrades for Agere Systems, Amdocs, BEA Systems, Ceridian, Chordiant Software, Cognex, Conexant, E.phiphany, Foundry Networks, Getty Images, Global Imaging Systems, Itron, Maxtor, Netflix, Syntel, Taiwan Semiconductor, Vastera and Vitesse Semiconductor; a satisfactory IPO from Kanbay; a poor IPO from Lumera; mediocre IPOs from Blackbaud, Dex Media, LG Philips and Virgin Mobile; a proposed IPO from Lindows; and an IPO filings from DreamWorks Animation and RightNow Technologies.

Locally

AST (-9.2%)
Control (-14.1%)
CompuClearing (-24.7%)
Elexir (-25%)
Global Technology (+100%)
Labat Africa (+18.8%)
MGX (+10%)
Prism (-11.5%)
Square One (9.1%)
Vesta (+50%)

Internationally

Agere Systems (-29.7%)
Daisytek International (-25%)
FiberMark (+35.7%)
Future Internet (-34.2%)
Leap Wireless International (+52.6%)
MDSI Mobile Data Solutions (-28.7%)
QRS (+30%)
SONICblue (-30%)
SigmaTel (-38.8%)
Tadpole (-29%)

The latest BusinessWeek has just published its annual Global 1000 lists that are created from market values. In the top 25, Microsoft was in at No 2; Intel at No 9; Vodafone at No 14; Cisco at No 15; and IBM at No 16. In terms of South African technology entries, M-Cell was at No 708 and Telkom at No 812.

* NB

Guidelines for the categorisation of results are as follows and are always in comparison with the equivalent period for the previous year; pro forma numbers are ignored (the terminology may vary slightly from country to country).

* Excellent: Both revenue and net income growth in excess of 50%.
* Very good: Both revenue and net income growth in excess of 25%.
* Good: Both revenue and net income growth in excess of 10%.
* Satisfactory: Revenue is within 10% of previous year and net income is up.
* Mediocre: Either revenue and/or net income is down.
* Very poor: Net income is less than 1% of revenue.
* Loss: A loss has been recorded.