PeopleSoft, Inc. (PSFT: chart) announced after market close Tuesday a 70% decrease in its second-quarter earnings, as the antitrust trial regarding Oracle Corp.’s hostile takeover bid weakened customer demand. The Pleasanton, California-based software maker said that it had a net profit of $11 million, or 3 cents per share, in its fiscal 2004 second quarter, which compares to a year-earlier net profit of $37 million, or 11 cents per share. Excluding extraordinary items, earnings totaled $51 million, or 14 cents a share, for the quarter ended June 30, down from $54 million, or 17 cents a share, last year. Results were in line with Wall Street’s reduced forecasts. Analysts had earlier projected a profit before items of 21 cents per share but revised that downward after PeopleSoft warned that results will miss its guidance. Revenue in the second quarter surged 30% to $647 million from $497 million, a year ago, helped by the company’s acquisition of J.D. Edwards & Co. last year. For the first six months of 2004, PeopleSoft reported a net profit of $35.2 million, or 10 cents per share, compared with a profit of $75 million, or 23 cents per share, for the first half in 2003.

PeopleSoft shares closed Tuesday up 21 cents, or 1.23%, at $17.32. The stock dropped 12 cents to $17.20 in after-market trade.

Avaya Inc. (AV: chart) said after the bell Tuesday that its quarterly profits jumped more than sevenfold, bolstered by higher revenue and lower costs. The Basking Ridge, New Jersey-based provider of business communication equipment and software posted net income of $61 million, or 13 cents per share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2004, up from $8 million, or 2 cents per share, generated a year ago. The earnings were a penny above the mean estimate of analysts. Quarterly sales advanced to $1.02 billion from $929 million, a year earlier.

The stock dropped 22 cents on Tuesday to $12.50. Avaya shares soared 4.80% to $13.10 in after-hours trading.

VERITAS Software Corporation (VRTS: chart) of Mountain View, California, reported Tuesday second-quarter net earnings of $86 million, or 20 cents per share, compared to net earnings of $46 million, or 11 cents per share, for the 2003 comparable period. The provider of data storage software beat by a penny a share the average estimate of analysts. Veritas attributed the results to higher sales, which rose 19% in the quarter to $485 million from $408 million, last year.

Veritas shares surged 4.79% to close Tuesday at $19.04. The stock added 46 cents to $19.50 in the extended session.

Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ: chart) on Tuesday rolled out net income of $1.8 billion, or 64 cents a share, for its fiscal second quarter, in contrast to net income of $338 million, or 12 cents a share, in the same quarter a year ago. The New York-based U.S. leading provider of communications services recorded revenues of $17.8 billion in the quarter, up 6% from last year. Analysts had projected a profit of 60 cents a share, on revenues of $17.4 billion. Verizon credited the strong performance in its wireless division for the results.

The stock rose 3.73% to $37.86 at market close Tuesday. Verizon shares shed 10 cents to $37.76 in after-hours trading.

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP: chart) of Roseland, New Jersey, posted Tuesday quarterly profits that topped analysts’ expectations, aided by a rise in employers' services. The world’s No.1 payroll and tax filing processor announced fourth-quarter income of $212 million, or 36 cents per share, on revenue of $2.09 billion. The average analysts’ estimate was for a profit of 35 cents per share. For the corresponding period in 2003, Automatic Data earned $217 million, or 36 cents per share, on revenue of $1.91 billion.

Company shares closed Tuesday at $41.14, up $1.64, or 4.15%.

Monster Worldwide, Inc. (MNST: chart) said Tuesday that its second-quarter earnings leapt 68% to $16.2 million, or 14 cents a share, from prior-year earnings of $9.6 million, or 8 cents a share. The New York-based operator of the world’s top job search Web site, Monster.com, attributed the results to improving advertising markets. Quarterly revenues jumped to $209.4 million from $166.7 million, as revenues at Monster.com surged 41% to $141.9 million.

The stock soared 8.99% on Tuesday to $22.31. Company shares gained 79 cents to $23.10 in extended trade.

T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW: chart) of Baltimore, Maryland, reported Tuesday a 49% growth in its quarterly earnings, citing higher sales of its funds. The mutual fund company posted second-quarter net income of $80.3 million, or 60 cents per share, up from prior-year net income of $53.8 million, or 42 cents per share. The earnings fell 2 cents a share short of the consensus forecast of analysts. Net revenue in the quarter climbed 30% to $309.7 million from $237.5 million, in 2003.

Company shares rose 3.46% to close Tuesday at $46.31.

The Chubb Corporation (CB: chart) on Tuesday turned in a net profit of $356.1 million, or $1.85 per share, for its fiscal second quarter, a 41% jump from a net profit of $252.1 million, or $1.45 per share, in the 2003 equivalent. Excluding items, the Warren, New Jersey-based insurer reported earnings of $1.77 per share for the quarter, blasting past Wall Street’s mean estimate of $1.57 per share. Chubb said results were due to a rise in premiums and cost cuts.

The stock edged up 55 cents to $64.65 at market close Tuesday. Chubb shares rose 2.17% to $66.05 in after-market trade.