Anti-virus vendors rock

Anti-virus vendors are doing very nicely on the back of ever-increasing numbers of viruses.

Symantec posted encouraging third quarter results of $59.4m profit excluding amortisation and one-time items - up considerably from $40.4m a year ago.

It has now raised it projections for 2002 on the back of these results. Total revenue could reach as much as $1.02m.

Things are also looking good for internet-based anti-virus software maker McAfee. It too has revised it projections for its first quarter and the whole of 2002.

Revenue is now expected to reach $19.1m ahead of analysts' original suggestions of $18.bm Full year revenues could reach $90m compared with the previously expected $84m.

Fourth quarter results show a net profit of $904,000 versus a net loss of $7.9m in the same quarter last year.

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