Siltek, Datatec dramas hog headlines

The start of the flood of quarterly results that included poor numbers from many of the big players such as EMC, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, SAP and Sun Microsystems dominated the international world of IT and telecommunications last week.

[VIDEO]At home, the Siltek saga and the Datatec bonus payments outcry stole most of the local headlines.

• we saw excellent full-year numbers from The IQ Business Group (revenue up 80%);
• good half-year numbers from Datacentrix (revenue and earnings both up);
• poor half-year figures from Jasco (back in the black, but revenue well down overall, although continuing business revenue well up); and
• an interim loss from Explorer (revenue also well down).
• Additionally, Siltek has applied for provisional liquidation, although there are indications that parts of the group may be subject to various MBOs, such as Siltek Telecomms, and there are also rumours that some bits may re-open their doors again this week.

[Local]

Other local news included:

• the application for liquidation by AfriCam SA`s service company, although the offshore operation is still in business;
• the announcement by Key3Media that Comdex SA is on hold indefinitely; and
• the revision of the Datatec bonus pay-outs following the sell-off of its UUNet stake.
• Furthermore, Brainware`s share suspension will be lifted on the JSE and the listing transferred to the cash companies sector.

• we saw the end of Concert, the AT&T/British Telecom joint venture;
• the name change of Gama Computer to The Bluebook International Holding Company;
• the merger of the LCD divisions of Matsushita and Toshiba; and
• the merging of the memory chip businesses of Infineon and Toshiba.

Additionally, look out for the fate of Commerce One, which is looking to sell off all or parts of the business, much of which may end up at SAP which already owns 20% of the company.

Also watch out for the possible buy-out of Global TeleSystems by KPN-Quest; and the final fate of Lernout & Haupsie as the Belgium court rejected the company`s restructuring plan and lifted bankruptcy protection.

[International]

Other international news included:

• the appointments of Gil Amelio as chairman of Viaquo, Robert Calderoni as president and CEO of Ariba, Robert DeKoning as president and CEO of Pixion, Murray Goldman as CEO of Transmeta, Dave Ornelas as president and CEO of Celcorp, Louis Woodhill as CEO of Neon Systems, and Charles Young as chairman of Creo;
• the resignations of John Beizer, CEO of iAsiaWorks, and Steven Grant, CFO of Digital Lightwave;
• the retirement of Sam Smookler, president and CEO of DMC Stratex Networks; and
• job loss announcements from Advanced Switching Comms, ASML, BellSouth, CMG, EMC, Jacada, Philips Electronics, Scientific-Atlanta, Siemens, Unisys, Varian Semiconductor and Vodafone.

Thursday sees the launch of Microsoft`s Windows XP operating system, barring any unforeseen legal actions by the US Department of Justice or the European Commission.

Paul Booth, MD, Global Research Partners

We saw excellent figures from Genesis Microchip and Itron.

Good numbers were recorded by Advanced Fibre Comms, Alliance Data Systems, ARM Holdings, CACI, Compuware, Comtech Telecomms (back in the black), Cryptologic, eBay, GCI, Gentner Comms, ITG, L-3 Comms, National Processing, NetSolve, OneSource, PanAmSat, Pixion, SmartForce (back in the black), SunGard, TTP Comms, Wanadoo and Wipro.

Satisfactory figures were posted by 1mage Software, ADP, Barra, BellSouth, Black Box, Cadence Design Systems, CDW Computer Centers, Check Point Software Technologies, Fibernet, II-VI, Illuminet Holdings, Linear Technology, Microsoft, Monolithic System Technology, NovAtel (back in the black), SpectraLink, Synplicity (back in the black), Teleflex, Triquint Semiconductor and Vodavi Technology.

Mediocre returns came from Activision, Actuate, Advent Software, Apple, Applied Innovation, Business Objects, Ceridian, Cerner, Cognex, Cognizant Technology, Dice (but back in the black), Emulex, Equifax, Exar, Harris (but back in the black), IBM, InFocus, Intel, Ixia, IXYS, Manhattan Associates, Mercury Computer Systems, Mercury Interactive, Molex, Morse, Nokia, Overland Data, Paradyne Networks (back in the black), PC Connection, PeopleSoft, Pervasive Software (back in the black), Pitney Bowes, Plantronics, Polycom, Rambus, RF Micro Devices, Rimage, Rohn Industries, SAP, SBS Technologies, Scientific-Atlanta, Seagate, Sento, Siebel Systems, Somera Comms, SPX, STMicroelectronics, Symantec, Telmex, Titan, Tollgrade Comms, Tyco International, Unisys, Xicor, Zomax and Zoran.

Very poor results came from 3D Systems, Analysts International, Datalink, Dover, insci-statements.com, Made2Manage (but back in the black), Timberline Software, Vicor, and X-Rite.

Losses came from 360networks, ActionPoint, Adaptec, Alliance Semiconductor, Alpha Industries, AMD, AMS (back in the black), AOL Time Warner, Applied Micro Circuits, Artesyn Technologies, Aspect Comms, Atmel, ATMI, August Technology, Auspex, Avocent, Bell Microproducts, Boston Comms Group, Broadcom, Broadwing, Brooktrout, BTU International, C-Cor.net, Captaris, Carrier Access, Celeritek, Celestica, Com21, Commerce One, Computer Associates, Computer Motion, Concord Comms, Conexant Systems, Corning, CorVu, CTS, CyberSource, Cylink, Cypress Semiconductor, Digimarc, Digital Lightwave, DigitalThink, DMC Stratex Networks, Documentum, Electronic Tele-Comms, Embercadero Technologies, EMC, Equinix, Evans & Sutherland, Extended Systems, Extreme Networks, FileNET, FSI International, Gadzoox Networks, Gateway, Giga Information Group (but back in the black), Handspring, Hifn, HNC Software, Hybrid Networks, Hynix Semiconductor, i2 Technologies, IFX, Imaging Technologies, Informatica, Information Resources, Inrange Technologies, Insignia Solutions, inSilicon, Insituform Technologies, Interactive Intelligence, Interlink Electronics, Internet Security Systems, Interphase, Interwoven, Intrusion.com, Iomega, ION Networks, Iona, Kana Comms, KLA-Tencor, Lante, Larscom, Latitude Comms, Lexar Media, Macromedia, McData, Media General, MKS Instruments, mPhase, Nanometrics, net.com, NetScout Systems, NMS Comms, Nortel Networks, Novellus, Nuance, NVE, Parametric Technology, Parthus Technologies Plc., PDF Solutions, Perle Systems, Philips Electronics, Pixelworks, PLX Technology, PMC-Sierra, Proxim, RadiSys, Rainmaker, RealNetworks, Retek, RF Monolithics, Rogers AT&T Wireless, Rogers Comms, Rogue Wave Software, SafeNet, Sage, SanDisk, Secure Computing, Sierra Wireless, Silicon Storage Technology, Sipex, Spectrian, SonicWALL, Sprint, StorageNetworks, Stratos Global, Sun Microsystems, Sunrise Telecom, Support.com, SureBeam, Symbol Technologies, TDK Mediactive, Tekelec, Tellabs, Teradyne, Texas Instruments, Three-Five Systems, TranSwitch, Trident Microsystems, Turnstone Systems, Veritas Software, Vina Technologies, Virage, Vital Images, Voxware, WebEx, Western Multiplex, Xilinx and Zamba.

Other financial news included a share buy-back announcement from Synplicity; profit warnings from Advanced Switching Comms, ASML, Black Box, Broadwing, CDW Computer Centers, Century Business Services, CMG, Concord Comms, Corning, Gadzoox Networks, Groupe Bull SA, i2 Technologies, Illuminet Holdings, Intel, MSC Software, Philips Electronics, Plasmon, Rational Software, RealNetworks, SAP, SCI Systems, Sierra Wireless, Silicon Storage Technology, Sprint, Support.com, Sycamore Networks, Unisys and Xaar. There was also a share split announcement from Gama Computer. Additionally, QSP Group has gone into receivership.

Locally

Dynamic Cables (-16.7%)
Infowave (-16.7%)
MB Technologies (+14.1%)
Pinnacle (-20%)
PTH (-33.3%)
Sethold (-31.1%)
Stella Vista (+25%)
UAM (-31.6%)
Y2KTec (+50%)
Y3K (-33.3%)

Internationally

Arch Wireless (+66.7%)
Asia Global Crossing (+48.4%)
Focal Comms (+50.9%)
Intershop Comms (+62.3%)
Mentergy (+53.3%)
Open Market (+45.2%)
Robocom Systems International (+61.3%)
Ross Systems (+52.3%)
Westell Technologies (+62.3%)
XO Comms (+109.4%)

Apart from the continued flood of quarterly results, Thursday sees the launch of Microsoft`s Windows XP operating system, barring any unforeseen legal actions by the US Department of Justice or the European Commission.