| Web traffic to eBay and Yahoo continues to grow
Web traffic to Yahoo has increased by 3 percent since last year and eBay has seen a 12 percent rise in the same time frame, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. Yahoo parent company increased three percent year over year, from a three-month average monthly unique audience of 104.7 million unique visitors in Q1 2006 to 107.5 million unique visitors in Q1 2007. In online advertising, estimated revenue from image-based impressions on Yahoo grew 54 percent from Q1 2006 to Q1 2007. Sponsored links on the Yahoo property grew 16 percent in the same time period. Web traffic to the eBay parent company increased 12 percent year over year, from a three-month average monthly unique audience of 60.9 million in Q1 2006 to 68.2 million in Q1 2007. EBay brands eBay, PayPal, Shopping.com Network, and Skype all ranked number one in subject categories in March 2007, including classifieds/Auctions, Financial Tools, Shopping Directories and Guides and Long Distance/Local Carriers.
eBay beats expectations, raises outlook
SAN FRANCISCO - Online auction leader eBay today reported quarterly results that beat Wall Street expectations and said its outlook for the rest of the year would be at the high end of analysts' predictions. Shares of eBay jumped as much as 6 per cent after the company posted a 52 per cent jump in net profit on a 27 per cent revenue rise, led by growth in its core auctions business and the rising prominence of international sales. "I would say it was a very strong quarter across the board," Chief Executive Meg Whitman said in an interview. "We at the top end of analysts' predictions, which ranged from US$1.27 ($1.72) to US$1.34, based on Reuters Estimates data. "Overall it was a good report card," said Martin Pyykkonen, an analyst with Global Crown Capital.
Granite City sculptor wields a chainsaw
It seems odd to use the term "sculptor" to describe someone who carves with chainsaws, but that's how Brian Willis creates his wooden works of art. Some are realistic and intricately detailed. Others are expressive, almost cartoonish. "In the Midwest, people tend to like eagles, bears, raccoons, geese, that sort of thing," Brian said. "But I'll carve anything. If somebody wants me to carve his pickup truck, I'll do it." Brian, 42, of Granite City has been chainsaw carving for about three years. Before that, he used hand tools for small sculptures of birds and flowers. "It's a different ballgame altogether," he said. "(A chainsaw) lets you do bigger carvings in less time." Brian is one of 27 chainsaw carvers who will travel to Pacific, Mo., next weekend for a competition to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network.
EBay posts better than expected profits
EBay Inc posted better than expected profits in the first quarter as several of its newer businesses compensated for disappointing results in its mainstay auction service. The faster-growing units include shopping.com, a price comparison site; some classified listing sites; a service to let online merchants accept credit cards; and Skype, the online voice chat service. "We are on track with our well-crafted portfolio," Meg Whitman, eBay's chief executive, said in an interview after the earnings report was published by the firm on Wednesday. The results sent eBay's stock up about 3 percent in after-hours trading. Overall, the company earned US$377 million in the first quarter, up 52 percent from a year earlier. Excluding charges related to stock-based compensation and some other items, the company earned US$0.33 a share, above the US$0.29 average that analysts had predicted.
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