Compuware managed to top analysts' reduced estimates in its fourth quarter Monday, earning US$57.5 million, or 15 cents a share, on sales of US$582.1 million.
First Call consensus predicted the corporate software developer would earn 14 cents a share.
Its shares closed off 3/16 to 12 7/8 ahead of the earnings report.
Last month, Compuware officials braced investors for lackluster results in the quarter, mainly due to weak performance by its core computer systems support operation.
Analysts originally pegged it for a profit of 35 cents a share in the quarter.
The US$582.1 million in sales marks a 16 percent jump from the year-ago quarter when it earned US$125.2 million, or 31 cents a share, on sales of US$500.1 million.
For the year, Compuware earned US$392.2 million, or US$1.02 a share, on sales of US$2.23 billion, up 36 percent from fiscal 1999 when it made US$357.3 million, or 89 cents a share, on sales of US$1.6 billion.
Including one-time charges, Compuware earned US$46.5 million, or 12 cents a share, in the quarter.
"Despite a tough fourth quarter, we delivered solid results for fiscal year 2000," said spokeswoman Beth Chappell in a prepared release. "Our software business remains healthy and will continue to grow. We will maintain our competitive edge in the OS/390 market as we strive to significantly increase sales of our distributed software products."
In the quarter, the company's software license fees fell 15.6 percent from the year-ago quarter, falling to US$196.1 million from US$232.4 million.
Maintenance fees increased 28.2 percent to US$118.2 million from US$92.2 million during the same period last year. Revenue from professional services grew 52.5 percent during the quarter to US$267.7 million from US$175.6 million in the fourth quarter of the previous fiscal year.
Not surprisingly, Compuware shares went into a tailspin following the profit warning, falling to a low of 10 7/16 in April after hitting a 52-week high of 40 in December.
Nine of the 16 analysts following the stock maintain a "hold" recommendation.
Among other technology companies reporting earning Monday:
Macrovision easily topped Street estimates in its first quarter, earning US$4.8 million, or 12 cents a share, on sales of US$12.7 million.
Analysts were expecting it to return a profit of 8 cents a share in the quarter.
Its shares closed up 7 1/8 to 56 ahead of the earnings report.
The US$12.7 million in sales marks a 78 percent improvement from the year-ago quarter when it made US$1.9 million, or 89 cents a share, on sales of US$7.2 million.
"We're very pleased with our first quarter results," said CFO Ian Halifax in a prepared release. "Our revenues benefited from continued strong demand for both our DVD and consumer multimedia software copy protection products."
Pegasus Solutions also beat the Street in its first quarter, raking in US$3 million, or 14 cents a share, on sales of US$10.7 million.
First Call consensus expected the e-commerce services provider to earn 12 cents a share in the quarter.
Ahead of the earnings report, Pegasus shares closed up 3/8 to 18 1/8.
The US$10.7 million in sales marks a 27 percent jump from the same period last year when it earned US$1.5 million, or 9 cents a share, on sales of US$8.4 million.
