Mixed tech earnings bag as SuccessFactors, Akamai, Nuance report results

Tech earnings were a mixed bag Wednesday as SuccessFactors, Akamai and Nuance all reported results.

SuccessFactors reported a fourth quarter loss of $4.05 million, or 5 cents a share, on revenue of $60.1 million. On a non-GAAP basis, SuccessFactors broke even to meet Wall Street estimates. The company reported deferred revenue as of Dec. 31 of $234.4 million. For the year, SuccessFactors reported a net loss of 17 cents a share on revenue of $206 million, up from $153 million a year ago.

As for the outlook, SuccessFactors projected first quarter non-GAAP revenue of $62.5 million to $63.5 million. Non-GAAP earnings were projected to be break even. Wall Street was expecting earnings of a penny a share. For fiscal 2011, SuccessFactors projected non-GAAP earnings to be about break even with non-GAAP sales of $265 million to $270 million. SuccessFactors' non-GAAQP revenue includes deferred revenue from acquired companies.

Separately, SuccessFactors said that Capgemini Consulting will provide implementation services for its Business Execution software suite.

Akamai reported fourth quarter earnings of 27 cents a share on revenue of $284.7 million. Non-GAAP earnings were 40 cents a share. Wall Street was expecting earnings of 38 cents a share on revenue of $283 million. Akamai CEO Paul Sagan said Akamai was seeing "strength across cloud computing and online digital media solutions."

For 2010, Akamai reported earnings of $171.2 million, or 90 cents a share, on revenue of $1.02 billion, up 19 percent from 2009.

Nuance broke even for its fiscal first quarter on revenue of $303.8 million, up 15.5 percent from a year ago. Non-GAAP earnings were 28 cents a share. Wall Street was looking earnings of 31 cents a share. The company said it saw strong demand for its mobile and consumer products.