Bitter about the damage being done to its business by the unwanted attentions of MAI Basic Four Inc, Natick, Massachusetts based Prime Computer Inc now says it expects 1989 operating profits to increase by 30% to 40% over last year’s, down from its earlier projection that it would rise by 40% to 50%. It also reckons that turnover will be hurt, with growth of no more than 6% this year and 9% in 1990 against its previous estimate of 10% this year, 12.2% in 1990. Spluttering its infinitives in its choler, Prime says that personnel problems have reached the point where they threaten to substantially affect the value of the stockholders’ investment in the company – in other words, key people are leaving in droves as the battle with MAI drags on. Customers are equally windy, and the company attributes its reduced forecasts to customer order deferrals due to customer concerns and sales force instability resulting from the offer from MAI Basic Four Inc.
