Oracle Reports Record
Earnings
in line with Estimates
by Jeff Fischer
(TMF Jeff)
ALEXANDRIA, VA, (June 17, 1997)/FOOLWIRE/ -- After the market closed,
the second-largest software firm in the world announced record fourth quarter
results, in line with expectations.
ORACLE CORP <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: ORCL)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: ORCL)") end if %> hit the basket with a solid jump-shot,
scoring fourth quarter sales of nearly $2 billion, up 33% from sales of $1.46
billion in the same quarter one year ago. Net income for the period rose
35%, to $360 million, or $0.54 per share. Last year the fourth quarter netted
Oracle $0.40 per share, or $266 million.
Again, the company hit the basket -- but it wasn't all net, perhaps, in the
eyes of Wall Street. And it wasn't a three-point shot. It was a strong quarter,
as Oracle met estimates, but it didn't beat them, a la Microsoft and McAfee,
and other software leaders. Oracle has been meeting but not beating estimates
for the past few quarters.
For the 1997 fiscal year that just ended at Oracle, revenue grew 35% to $5.684
billion (Microsoft, by comparison, had revenue of $8.6 billion in its latest
fiscal year). Net income grew 33% to $845 million, or $1.26 per share (excluding
one-time charges), up from $636 million, or $0.95 in fiscal 1996.
This results in net margins on the year of 14.86%.
Snapshot comparison of the largest two software companies:
Oracle Microsoft
Last fiscal year
Sales $5,684,000,000 $8,671,000,000
Net Income $845,000,000 $2,195,000,000
Net margin 15% 25%
For Oracle, overall license and other related sales grew 26% from last year,
due to strong demand in the latest quarter. Applications revenue in particular
posted strong results, as healthy demand from all parts of the world increased
Oracle's Application revenues 78% for the year.
Geographically, Oracle performed well around the world, while America was
-- not surprisingly -- the strongest region, with sales up 44%, followed
by Asia, up 25%, and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa up 20% compared
to results achieved in fiscal 1996.
What bodes well for Oracle in the current quarter, and the ones to follow,
is the much anticipated release of Oracle8. The new open systems database
platform is set to launch on June 24th and strong industry acceptance is
anticipated.
To wrap up the year, management stated: ``The fourth quarter represents the
culmination of a pivotal year for Oracle. The database industry has consolidated
around Oracle's leadership, giving us an advantage as we further provide
customers with greater value and industry expertise through our business
applications solutions,'' said Raymond J. Lane, president and Chief Operating
Officer. ``Looking ahead, we have one strategic intent -- Network Computing
-- and we have one architecture -- NCA, Oracle's Network Computing Architecture.
In fiscal year 1998, we will be filling out the technological components
beginning with Oracle8, the Oracle Applications Server, our Web Developer
Suite, Web Applications and the NC.''
After earning $1.26 per share this year (meeting estimates to the penny),
Oracle is expected to earn $1.67 per share next year, for a 32.5% rate of
growth. The stock, at $53, trades at 42 times trailing earnings and 31.7
times the estimates four quarters out.
The company's run-rate (current quarter's results, times four) would give
Oracle $7.79 billion in sales for fiscal 1998. In the prior four quarters
(listed most-dated to most recent), operating margins were 27%, 16%, 20%,
and 18%, with the current quarter coming in stronger, at 28%.
Net profit margins in the prior four quarters totaled 18%, 10.7%, 13.7%,
12%, and again, stronger this quarter at 18.6%.
While Oracle's margins have fluctuated, Microsoft's have grown steadily,
much like Microsoft's cash balance -- to $10 billion. Oracle's cash at the
end of May was $1 .3 billion, while accounts receivable totaled $1.5
billion; but liabilities were $1.9 billion, and long-term debt equaled
$340 million.
Why compare Oracle to Microsoft while writing about Oracle's earnings report?
The companies are numbers one and two in the software industry -- why not
compare? But however the numbers behind the respective businesses look, both
stocks have been outstanding investments.
Oracle's stock has compounded 70.6% annually over the past five years, and
has been one of the best-performing stocks of this decade. The company has
recovered from near ruin, and now has arguably been ruining the competition,
while increasing its lead.
The stock reportedly traded $2 lower to $51 in after-market hours, following
the earnings announcement. For an investor, that's neither here-nor-there.
Oracle trades at 31 times next year's estimates, while growing 32% annually
-- so appears fundamentally to be at fair-value. The market has been placing
lofty premiums on leaders, though -- considering the multiples currently
given Microsoft and Coca-Cola.
Oracle's stock has, to this day, steered clear of a "lofty" valuation.
Next: Tom Gardner
on Oracle and Lifeboats in Storms
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