Services, Licenses Buoy BMC

Network-management software maker BMC Software Inc. (stock: BMCS) said its total revenue for fiscal 2000 was $1.7 billion, a 32% increase over 1999, which came in at $1.3 billion. Net earnings for the year, ended March 31, were $444.6 million, or $1.76 a share, a 13% increase over the $392.4 million, or $1.58 per share, reported in 1999.

Fourth-quarter total revenue increased 23% to $476.4 million, compared with $386.5 million for the same period a year ago. Excluding amortization, net earnings increased 6% to $132 million, compared with a year ago. Net diluted earnings per share increased 4% to 49 cents per share during the same time. Company execs said in a conference call Tuesday that recurring-maintenance and services revenues and high demand in distributed systems licenses fueled the increase.

Wall Street analysts were expecting earnings of 47 cents, according to First Call. BMC had missed Wall Street expectations in the third quarter, ended Dec. 31, largely because of a significant sale that slid into the fourth quarter. BMC would not reveal details about the large transaction, which represented 10% of the company's total fourth-quarter revenue.