Earnings Briefs

NAPLES, FLA. — SmartDisk, which provides technologies and products that enable consumers to create, manage and use all types of digital products, reported flat revenue for the first quarter ended March 31. Sales hit $17.3 million, compared with $17.4 million in the same quarter last year. The company reported an operational loss of $2.5 million, compared with an operational gain of $1.3 million in the year-ago first quarter. The loss from operations for the quarter excludes $5.9 million in amortization of goodwill and other intangibles, compared with $1.8 million for the same period in 2000. Excluding these charges, net loss for the first quarter was $8.4 million, compared with a net loss of $500,000 in the first quarter of 2000. SmartDisk said it expects to generate revenues of about $18 million in the second quarter, reflecting increased sales and marketing, as well as R&D investments and the continuation of current general economic conditions.

WESTBOROUGH, MASS. — Internet messaging and mobile information provider Arch Wireless reported a 42 percent jump in consolidated first-quarter earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), reaching $89.5 million, compared with $63 million in the year-ago three months. EBITDA is a commonly used measure of financial performance in the wireless industry. Consolidated net revenue, which is revenue less cost of products sold, rose 75 percent in the first quarter ended March 31, hitting $316 million, compared with $181 million in the year-earlier period. Arch said its consolidated operating margin in the first quarter was 28.3 percent, reflecting a 32.3 percent margin for traditional messaging offset by a negative margin of 3.9 percent on two-way messaging. The 28.3 percent is 650 basis points below the 34.8 percent reported in the year-ago quarter. Arch extended its quarterly loss before income tax benefit, extraordinary item and accounting change from $70.2 million in the first quarter of 2000 to $229.7 million in the first quarter of this year.

ALAMEDA, CALIF. — Interactive TV technology and services provider Wink Communications increased first-quarter sales 224 percent, to $1.7 million, compared with $526,000 the same quarter last year. However, the company more than doubled its net loss for the three months ended March 31, reaching $12.6 million, compared with $5.5 million in the year-ago period. Wink-enabled households totaled more than 3 million, a 20 percent increase since Dec. 31, 2000, and the company said it is well on the way to finishing the year with more than 6 million households.