Compaq Computer Corp is forecasting that sales and earnings for the first quarter of 1987 will exceed analysts’ estimates. The company says that strong demand for its products means that sales for the period to March 31, 1987, are expected to exceed $200m against analysts’ forecasts of $165m to $185m and earnings per share should exceed forecasts that run as high as 42 cents per share. The continuing demand for the company’s high-end products; the Deskpro 386, the Portable III, and the new 12MHz Deskpro 286, significantly contributed to the company’s outstanding first quarter sales. This time last year, the company reported net profits of $8.3m, 27 cents a share, on turnover of $144m.
