Oracle Lowers Earnings Forecast

Oracle Corp., the world’s second-biggest software vendor, warned that its fiscal third-quarter earnings would be a penny lower than its original forecast, hurt by slow sales in Asia.

The company’s new forecast is for earnings of 9 cents a share. In January, it forecast flat quarter-over-quarter profit of 10 cents. Oracle plans to announce final results March 14.

Oracle dropped to $14.71 in after-hours trading after the warning. It had closed at $15.99 on Nasdaq.