Videogame maker Electronic Arts has experienced a surge in the value of its stock following speculation that computer giant Microsoft is considering a takeover of the company. However, both companies have declined to make any comments on such an arrangement and analysts remain largely skeptical about how the acquisition would be practical.
To some analysts, Microsoft acquiring Electronic Arts makes no sense at all because of the fact that Microsoft is developing newer forms of videogame technology, making an acquisition of a traditional videogame company pointless. This potential roadblock has not stood in the way of trading, with EA’s shares climbing …read more

After releasing a report that its first-quarter profits have topped its forecasted quarterly earnings, FedEx Corp, the country’s second-largest package shipping company, has watched its shares surge in its biggest daily gain in the last several months. According to the company’s preliminary results, FedEx will eventually post earnings of 58 cents per share.
Originally, the company had predicted earnings of anywhere from 30 to 45 cents per share while the average analyst expectation for FedEx’s profits settled at 45 cents per share. Its strong performance may indicate that the shipping industry has begun to recover, especially in the profitable service of …read more

Computer security software maker Symantec Corp. has posted a disappointing 58 percent drop in profits from a year ago in its fiscal first-quarter report, blaming the situation on the softening of demand on the part of corporate customers. In response to the company’s report, shares slid more than 7 percent to $15.90 in late trading.
 
Symantec took in $1.43 billion in revenue this quarter, down from $1.65 billion, and posted earnings of 34 cents per share, excluding special items. Analyst expectations had the software company doing somewhat better, predicting $1.49 billion in revenue and 35 cents per share. Symantec CFO James …read more

Although RadioShack has managed to post results that beat analyst expectations in the second quarter, its shares have fallen 8 percent. Investors are worried that RadioShack’s second quarter results only came after vigorous cost-cutting measures and that the electronics company will not be able to maintain profitability once it runs out of costs to cut.
 
Analysts have also wondered whether or not RadioShack actually went too far in its cost-cutting measures, hurting the company’s chances of gaining ground as other competitors continue to bow out. RadioShack ended up cutting 11 percent of its costs mainly through limiting the amount of money …read more