Yahoo! earnings up to mark

Leading internet media site Yahoo! yesterday reported fourth-quarter earnings that met analysts' forecasts, but issued earnings and revenue guidance for 2001 below current expectations.

The company said it earned $US80.2 million ($179.95 million), or 13c per diluted share, in the latest quarter, compared with $US55.7 million, or 9c per share, a year earlier.

Revenues rose 53 per cent to $US310.9 million in the quarter. The company predicted earnings per share for the full year 2001 of between 33c and 43c, well below analysts' guess of 48c, and annual revenues of $US1.2 billion to $US1.3 billion.