WILSONVILLE, OR – Mentor Graphics Corporation announced its fiscal 2008 fourth quarter revenue of $284.8 million, with annual revenue of $879.7 million.

“Mentor’s focus on building number one positions in the market has enabled it to continue to thrive and helped drive our record fourth quarter revenue and earnings,” said Walden C. Rhines, company chairman and CEO.

During the quarter, Mentor Graphics and Cadence Design Systems delivered the Open Verification Methodology (OVM), and the company's Veloce emulator was picked as one of the Hot 100 products of 2007 by EDN magazine. The company also hosted its 6th annual Integrated Electrical Solutions Forum in Detroit, with representatives from North America’s automotive OEMs and suppliers. According to the company, bookings from automotive customers climbed 25%, to become approximately 10% of the total for the company.

“The company executed well in fiscal 2008, and we are positioned to continue to outperform the market in fiscal 2009,” said Gregory K. Hinckley, Mentor Graphics president. “Additionally, we have tightened our focus on cost controls, and have taken a number of actions... to provide a more competitive cost basis going forward.”

ROUND ROCK, TX - Dell Computer has reported fiscal fourth-quarter results below analyst's expectations. Dell reported profit for fiscal Q4 of $679 million, or 31cents a share, 14% below the 36 cents analysts had predicted. Sales for the quarter were $16 billion, below the $16.27 billion expected, but up from $14.5 billion year-over-year.

The computer maker blamed turnaround costs, "conservative" consumer spending, and the effort to reverse a sales and market-share decline that led to last year's resignation of former CEO Kevin Rollins.

Dell released a statement saying that it expects to "incur costs as it realigns its business to improve growth and profitability, adversely impacting the company's near-term performance."

The company will reportedly increase customer service, begin selling its products through retail outlets, end direct-to-consumer sales, and reportedly lay off 10% of its workforce, or almost 9,000 jobs.