Oracle: Telling Fortunes?
A strong quarter could suggest more success to come for the world's second-largest software company.
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Today
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more delivered daily. Smart money moves start here.
Sent five days a week
Kiplinger A Step Ahead
Get practical help to make better financial decisions in your everyday life, from spending to savings on top deals.
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Closing Bell
Get today's biggest financial and investing headlines delivered to your inbox every day the U.S. stock market is open.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Adviser Intel
Financial pros across the country share best practices and fresh tactics to preserve and grow your wealth.
Delivered weekly
Kiplinger Tax Tips
Trim your federal and state tax bills with practical tax-planning and tax-cutting strategies.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Retirement Tips
Your twice-a-week guide to planning and enjoying a financially secure and richly rewarding retirement
Sent bimonthly.
Kiplinger Adviser Angle
Insights for advisers, wealth managers and other financial professionals.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Investing Weekly
Your twice-a-week roundup of promising stocks, funds, companies and industries you should consider, ones you should avoid, and why.
Sent weekly for six weeks
Kiplinger Invest for Retirement
Your step-by-step six-part series on how to invest for retirement, from devising a successful strategy to exactly which investments to choose.
Shares of Oracle got a jolt on Friday, jumping 4% after an impressive earnings release. But perhaps more important than a single quarter's results is that many analysts are now seeing signs that the world's second-largest software company is turning a corner.
Selling software to corporations is an ultra-competitive business, and to get a leg up, Oracle set out years ago to become a one-stop shop for customers' needs. The company has not only developed new products itself but also has expanded its portfolio of products by buying other software firms. In particular, it's bought companies with applications software, which complements its bread-and-butter database management software.
It may be a smart strategy on paper, but pulling it off is another matter. The trick for Oracle is integrating its new businesses and persuading customers to get on board with the plan.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
It finally looks like Oracle's efforts may be succeeding, some analysts say. Oracle's most recent quarterly earnings, released on Thursday, showed profits reached 29 cents per share in the fiscal fourth quarter, up 12% from a year ago. Friedman Billings Ramsey analyst David Hilal, who was among the many analysts to weigh in with notes to clients on Friday, was impressed with strong growth across the board. Revenues from database licenses grew 18%, and revenues from application licenses -- a faster-growing field -- increased 83%.
Hilal also said that the company is landing a greater number of licensing deals than a year ago, and that the deals are larger. That suggests customers are embracing Oracle's expanded line of products and services and shows a vote of confidence in the firm's ability to integrate its different pieces, Hilal says. He thinks the stock (symbol ORCL) can reach $17 over the next 12 months, up from Friday's close of $15.
The stock trades at 16 times the 93 cents that analysts expect the company to earn per share in the fiscal year that ends next May.
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
-
How Much It Costs to Host a Super Bowl Party in 2026Hosting a Super Bowl party in 2026 could cost you. Here's a breakdown of food, drink and entertainment costs — plus ways to save.
-
3 Reasons to Use a 5-Year CD As You Approach RetirementA five-year CD can help you reach other milestones as you approach retirement.
-
Your Adult Kids Are Doing Fine. Is It Time To Spend Some of Their Inheritance?If your kids are successful, do they need an inheritance? Ask yourself these four questions before passing down another dollar.
-
If You'd Put $1,000 Into AMD Stock 20 Years Ago, Here's What You'd Have TodayAdvanced Micro Devices stock is soaring thanks to AI, but as a buy-and-hold bet, it's been a market laggard.
-
If You'd Put $1,000 Into UPS Stock 20 Years Ago, Here's What You'd Have TodayUnited Parcel Service stock has been a massive long-term laggard.
-
How the Stock Market Performed in the First Year of Trump's Second TermSix months after President Donald Trump's inauguration, take a look at how the stock market has performed.
-
If You'd Put $1,000 Into Lowe's Stock 20 Years Ago, Here's What You'd Have TodayLowe's stock has delivered disappointing returns recently, but it's been a great holding for truly patient investors.
-
If You'd Put $1,000 Into 3M Stock 20 Years Ago, Here's What You'd Have TodayMMM stock has been a pit of despair for truly long-term shareholders.
-
Stocks Rise to the Spirit of the Season: Stock Market TodayInvestors, traders and speculators are beginning to like the looks of a potential year-end rally.
-
Nasdaq Leads as Tech Stages Late-Week Comeback: Stock Market TodayOracle stock boosted the tech sector on Friday after the company became co-owner of TikTok's U.S. operations.
-
Nasdaq Sinks 418 Points as Tech Chills: Stock Market TodayInvestors, traders and speculators are growing cooler to the AI revolution as winter approaches.