SYMANTEC CORP. $17.53 - Nasdaq symbol SYMC

SYMANTEC CORP. $17.53 (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (1-408-517-8000; www.symantec.com; Shares outstanding: 693.9 million; Market cap: $12.2 billion; No dividends paid) sells computer-security technology, including anti-virus and email-filtering software, to businesses and consumers.

In the company’s 2013 second quarter, which ended September 28, 2012, its earnings per share rose 15.4%, to $0.45 from $0.39. Revenue rose 1.1%, to $1.70 billion from $1.68 billion.

Symantec is selling more of its products to businesses, partly because it is now offering its salespeople higher incentives for bringing in new contracts than for renewals.

Sales of anti-virus software to consumers fell 0.6% in the latest quarter. But demand should pick up thanks to Microsoft’s new Windows 8 operating system, which launched on October 25.

Symantec is still a hold.

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