Major Computer Firms Report Earnings Rise

Major computer-industry companies reported increased earnings Monday. Profits were up 1% at NCR Corp., 19% at Tandy Corp. and 80% at Microsoft Corp. for the last three months of 1986.

NCR’s profit edged up to a record in the fourth quarter on a 12% increase in revenue, but business in the United States was weak, the Dayton, Ohio-based computer maker said.

Quarterly net income was $134.1 million, up from $133.2 million in the final quarter of 1985. Revenue for the quarter increased to $1.6 billion from $1.4 billion.

For all of 1986, NCR said net income reached a record $336.5 million, a 7% increase compared to $315.2 million in 1985. Revenue for 1986 increased by 13% to $4.9 billion from $4.3 billion.

The company said it recorded the entire adverse effect of new 1986 tax legislation in the fourth quarter. Strong overseas orders compensated for a continuing slump in the domestic market, the firm said.

Tandy’s profit in its second fiscal quarter rose to $103.8 million from $87 million the previous year, the Fort Worth company reported. Quarterly revenue totaled more than $1.19 billion, a 19% increase over $1 billion a year earlier.

Microsoft, a maker of software for personal computers based in Redmond, Wash., reported profit of $19.7 million in its second fiscal quarter ended Dec. 31, up from $10.9 million a year ago. Revenue rose to $81 million in the quarter from $49.9 million a year earlier.