Chip Makers AMD, NVIDIA Recovering

According to recent report published by research firm IDC, the PC microprocessor market was weak in Q109 but that the decline is slowing due to inventory replenishment by OEMs at the end of the quarter. The report further noted market share gains for AMD. NVIDIA also reported market share gains. Let’s take a closer look at their performances this quarter. >>>

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Nightmare In Networking, IBM Sniffing Around

Yesterday Cisco, the networking giant with annual revenue of $39.5 billion, reported a mixed third quarter that beat analyst expectations even as profits and sales declined. Like its rival Juniper, Cisco saw signs of stability in the industry. >>>

Akamai Continues To Be Critical To Net’s Future

Akamai (NASDAQ:AKAM), the leading web acceleration provider with annual revenue of $790.9 million, reported first quarter results on April 29. The increasing use of online video and IP connected mobiles are the trends driving Akamai’s growth even during the current economic conditions. An interesting read to understand these trends is my discussion with Tom Leighton, co-founder of Akamai. In this post, let’s look at the performance of Akamai and its rival, Level 3. >>>

Wireless Only Ray Of Light For Chip Vendors

Last week, in our post on the three chip companies, Qualcomm, Broadcom, Texas Instruments, we saw that demand had improved, especially in China. In its first quarter report on April 29, STM, which had annual revenue of $10 billion in 2008, observed improved demand in Asia but said it needed time to confirm the trend. Let’s take a closer look at its performance as well as that of Infineon and Tessera. >>>

How About SAP + Salesforce.com?

While Oracle and IBM have been in the news with their strong quarters and acquisition bids and plans, their competitor, SAP (NYSE:SAP), the world’s leading provider of business software with 2008 revenue of €11.57 billion or $16.3 billion, has been lying low. On the eve of its first quarter earnings report, which missed estimates, let’s see how these acquisition moves affect SAP.  >>>

Cellular Wars

Cellular wars are heating up by the day. AT&T and Verizon are fighting hard for the smartphone infused momentum in the consumer and prosumer markets. Verizon just overtook AT&ampT as the No. 1 wireless carrier. Last week AT&T (NYSE:ATT) reported declines in revenue and profits but still beat estimates, mainly due to the iPhone, which had strong sales even in this gloomy economy. And this week, Verizon (NYSE:VZ) reported a strong quarter driven by the Alltel acquisition. Let’s take a closer look at their performances in the context of the wireless industry. >>>

Wireless Chipmakers Marching On

Amidst doom and gloom elsewhere, the wireless chipmakers are looking relatively robust. Yesterday, Qualcomm, the leading semiconductor company with annual revenue of $11.14 billion, reported strong sales in the second quarter that beat estimates mainly due to strong demand in China. However, it also reported a loss due to legal costs. Last week, Broadcom and Texas Instruments also experienced stronger-than-expected demand in China. There have been other interesting developments in the semiconductor industry, with Qualcomm and Broadcom ending their disputes and entering into a patent agreement. Further, Broadcom also made a bid to acquire Emulex. Let’s take a closer look. >>>

What Should Apple Do With The $29 Billion?

Yesterday Apple reported second quarter results that, driven by strong iPhone sales, yet again beat estimates. This June, it will be two years since the iPhone was launched, and Apple has sold over 21 million of them. Apple still seems to be reaping the benefits of its innovative OS, which has transformed the handset sector. Let’s take a closer look at the company’s performance. >>>

Will IBM Shift Application Software Strategy?

Yesterday, IBM reported a strong first quarter that beat earnings estimates. Q1 revenues were down 11% to $21.7 billion, short of Street estimates of $22.5 billion. Net income was down 1% to $2.3 billion. However, EPS was up 4% to $1.73 per share, beating Street estimates of $1.69 per share. Let’s take a closer look. >>>

Polycom An Acquisition Target?

Yesterday Polycom, a leading player in telepresence, video and voice communications solutions with annual revenue of $1.1 billion, reported its first quarter results. As more and more companies are looking to cut their travel expenses, video conferencing is emerging as a strong market. Let’s take a closer look at Polycom’s results and the sector. >>>