NEW YORK (CNNfn) - After the closing bell Wednesday, Musicmaker.com said its board of directors approved a plan to liquidate, BMC Software reported a pleasant earnings surprise, but Vitria Technology said Wall Street had expected too much of its upcoming earnings announcement.
In other after-the-bell news, Inktomi Corp., which makes Internet search and traffic management technology, also lowered its earnings forecast, warning that earnings per share would miss Wall Street forecasts by more than 60 percent amid slower technology spending.
Looking ahead to some of the key economic indicators due out later in the week, the Labor Department is scheduled to release several economic reports on Friday, including the number of non-farm payrolls, the unemployment rate, hourly earnings, and the number of hours Americans work on a weekly basis. In the previous monthly report, the Labor Department reported a 4.0 percent unemployment rate for the month of November.
Vitria Technology
The electronic business platform maker said its fourth-quarter earnings would not live up to Wall Street's expectations, citing order postponements and cancellations late in the quarter.
Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Vitria (VITR: Research, Estimates) said it expects to report a pro forma fourth-quarter net loss of 1-to-3 cents per share. The consensus estimate by First Call/Thomson Financial was earnings of 1 cent per share.
Vitria said it expects deferred revenue for the quarter to total about $45 million, down sequentially from $56 million at the end of the third quarter.
BMC Software
The enterprise software maker reported that its third-quarter earnings would be higher than expected after warned in the last two consecutive quarters.
Houston-based BMC (BMCS: Research, Estimates) said it expects earnings in the range of 20-to-22 cents a share, and analysts expected the company to earn 16 cents a share.
The company also said it expects third-quarter fiscal year 2001 revenue of between $375 million and $380 million.
BMC is expected to release third-quarter results after the close of the market Jan. 18.
Musicmaker.com
The online music company announced a plan to liquidate, citing limited financing available to the music and electronic commerce sector.
Musicmaker (HITS: Research, Estimates), which offers digital downloads of music and custom-made compact disc compilations, said in a statement that it was unable to find a buyer or partner "willing to offer greater value than that expected to be derived from liquidation."
Shares of the New York dot.com firm, which has plummeted to $2.88 from a high of $281.25, said it would seek approval from its shareholders on the liquidation.
 
- compiled by Staff Writer Joseph Lee
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