Compaq's results come after reports showed that PC shipments rose less than forecast in the second quarter.
Orders of big-ticket items from American factories rose less than forecast in July, an indication that manufacturing was beginning to weaken, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.
Pernod Ricard, the liquor maker, said its annual profit rose less than forecast as a result of higher spending on advertising.
Also on Tuesday, Dynegy announced that its cash flow would be considerably less than forecast a week ago and canceled a planned bond issue.
Compaq's results come after quarterly reports from the IDC Corporation and Dataquest Inc. that showed that PC shipments rose less than forecast in the second quarter.
As a result, he said, the Arctic drilling would push down world oil prices far less than forecast by the 1990 study, which was conducted by the WEFA Group, based in Bala Cynwyd, Pa.
With interim profit down less than forecast in the first half of its fiscal year, Telstra, Australias biggest telecom company, believes it has reached a profit "pivot point" in its five-year restructuring effort.
Total orders fell a less-than-forecast 0.5percentt.
Unit labour costs also rose by less than forecast.
FedEx said it might earn less than forecast this quarter.
Third-quarter profit will be less than forecast, they said.
