Oracle Sales Disappoint

Oracle met analysts’ estimates after the close on Thursday with pro forma earnings of 14 cents a share, but revenues of $2.91 billion were just shy of forecasts.

Oracle’s software license revenues — an important indicator of future growth — came in at $629 million, below $694 million expectations.

“This quarter delivered exceptionally strong applications performance driven by the successful integration of PeopleSoft,” Oracle President and CFO Greg Maffei said in a statement. “Cash flow and margins also reached record levels.”

Maffei also cited strong middleware sales for Oracle’s 38% earnings gain in the quarter, but database sales grew just 1% in the quarter.

Shares of Oracle fell 4% after hours. Also after the close, Palm fell after beating estimates but offering forward guidance toward the low end of Wall Street estimates.

Stocks rose Thursday after Hurricane Rita lost strength and was downgraded to a Category 4 storm, sending oil prices modestly lower on the day.

The Nasdaq rose 4 to 2110, the S&P climbed 4 to 1214, and the Dow gained 44 to 10,422. Volume declined to 2.42 billion shares on the NYSE, and 1.74 billion on the Nasdaq. Decliners led 18-14 on the NYSE, and 15-14 on the Nasdaq. Upside volume was 51% on the NYSE, and 51% on the Nasdaq. New highs-new lows were 134-206 on the NYSE, and 110-143 on the Nasdaq.

Sony tumbled 5.6% on a sweeping reorganization plan.

Comtech rose 9% on its earnings report.

Xyratex and Cognos fell on their results.