Anti-virus vendors rock

NEWS 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. For the latest virus news,