First Data, Rational sail past estimates

Rational Software easily beat the Street in its first quarter Wednesday, earning $26.9 million, or 27 cents a share, on sales of $170.3 million. It also set a 2-for-1 stock split.

First Call Corp. consensus pegged the e-business software developer for a profit of 22 cents a share in the quarter. First Data also beat the Street in its second quarter, posting a profit of $218 million, or 52 cents a share, on sales of $1.38 billion.

First Call pegged it for a profit of 47 cents a share in the quarter. Full story. -- Larry Barrett, ZDNet Inter@ctive Investor