Oracle reports fiscal fourth-quarter earnings climb 8 per cent, beating analyst projections

SAN FRANCISCO – Oracle’s latest quarterly earnings climbed 8 per cent to top analyst expectations.

The business software maker surprised investors by releasing the results Monday. The fiscal fourth-quarter report had been scheduled to come out Thursday.

Oracle Corp. didn’t give a reason for the change of plans.

The company earned $3.45 billion, or 69 cents per share, for the three months ending in May. That compared to income of $3.2 billion, or 62 cents per share, at the same time last year.

If not for items unrelated to its ongoing business, Oracle says it would have earned 82 cents per share. On that basis, Oracle exceeded the average estimate of 78 cents per share held among analysts surveyed by FactSet.

Revenue edged up 1 per cent from last year to $10.9 billion.