Sterling Software Inc, Dallas looks an improving bet to Standard & Poor’s Corp, which has revised its outlook on the company to positive from stable and affirmed its single-B’-plus subordinated debtrating. The implied senior rating is double-B’.About $115m of debt is affected, the agency noted.

Novell Inc has reported second quarter net profits down 0.2% at $95.9m against a period that included a $30m exceptional gain on Unix licences, on turnover that rose 16.2% at $529.5m; mid-term net profit fell 6.6% at $177.4m on turnover that rose 8.5% at $1,022.7m. Net earnings per share, flat at $26 in the quarter, declined 6% to $0.48 in the half.

Pacific Animated Imaging Corp saw net losses for the year to December 31 of $2.4m up from $843,088 losses last time, on turnover up 39.3% to $844,395.

Pinnacle Micro Inc has reported first quarter net profits down 99.0% at $12,000, on turnover that was up 20.5% to $20.2m. Net earnings per share were nil. Figures for the period in 1994 are restated.

Plasma-Therm Inc has reported that its first quarter net profits slumped 98.8% to $8,433, against a period that included an exceptional gain of $350,000, on turnover that declined 7.1% to $5.0m.

SpectraVision Inc has reported fourth quarter net losses of $202,341, up from a $16,253 loss last time, on turnover that was down 11.7% to $34,145; net losses for the year to December 31 were $254,284, up from $45,756 losses the previous year, on turnover that slumped by 11.9% to $143,547.

Stewart Information Services Corp reported first quarter net losses of $1.4m, against profits last time of $4.4m, on turnover down 31.2% to $58.0m.

Vanguard Cellular Systems Inc has reported first quarter net losses of $7.2m, up from $3.1m losses last time, on turnover that rose 50.5% to $49.8m.

Veritas Software Corp saw first quarter net profits up 570.0% at $3.3m on turnover that rose 63.3% to $5.6m. Net per share rose 581.8% to $0.75.

DDI Corp has reported net profits for the year to March 31 up 43.8% to the equivalent of $348.2m on turnover that rose 35.0% to $6,004.6m. Net earnings per share were $160.17 in the year. The figures were converted at $0.0118 to the Japanese yen.

Fujitsu Ltd has reported net profits for the year to March 31 the equivalent of $529.6m, against losses last time of $443.2m, on turnover up 3.8% to $38,325.9m. Net earnings per share were $29. Figures converted at $0.0118 to the Japanese yen.

Hitachi Maxell Ltd has reported net losses for the year to March 31 the equivalent of $115.4m on turnover that fell 0.3% to $1,791.6m. Figures converted at $0.0118 to the Japanese yen.

Kokusai Denshin Denwa Co Ltd has reported net profits for the year to March 31 down 26.7% to the equivalent of $133.3m, on turnover that rose 12.6% to $3,443.6m. Net earnings per share were $2.07. Figures converted at $0.0118 to the Japanese yen. Mitsubishi Electric Corp has reported net profits for the year to March 31 up 103.4% to the equivalent of $495.3m, on turnover that rose 4.5% to $38,235.3m. Net per share rose 94.2% to $0.22. Figures converted at $0.0118 to the Japanese yen.

NEC Corp has reported net profits for the year to March 31 up 434.3% to the equivalent of $415.5m on turnover that rose 5.0% to $44,352.9m. Net earnings per share rose 434.0% to $0.27. The figures were converted at $0.0118 to the Japanese yen.

Sharp Corp has reported net profits for the year to March 31 up 40.0% to the equivalent of $523.6m on turnover that rose 6.6% to $19,058.8m. Net earnings per share rose 39.1% to $0.47. The figures were converted at $0.0118 to the Japanese yen.

Toshiba Corp has turned in net profits for the year to March 31 up 268.1% to the equivalent of $525.8m, on turnover that was up 3.5% to $56,352.9m. Net earnings per share rose 258.2 to $0.16. Figures converted at $0.0118 to the Japanese yen.

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd saw net profits for the year to March 31 up 10.5% to the equivalent of $950.5m, o

n turnover up 10.2% to $2,523.7m. Net earnings per share rose 10.3% to $6.24. Figures converted at $0.7178 to the Singapore dollar.

Cable & Wireless Plc saw net profits for the year to March 31 down 42.8% at ú600m, after a pre-tax exceptional charge of ú122m from the reorganisation of Mercury Communications Ltd and a ú178m exceptional charge from goodwill associated with the acquisition of Telephone Rentals Plc, on turnover up 9.2% to ú5,133m. Pre-tax profits fell 22.4% at ú844m. Earnings per share were 11.5 pence.