NCR, the maker of computer systems for banks and retail stores, warned yesterday that second-quarter earnings and revenues would be lower than expected because customers deferred buying NCR software for managing huge databases.

Ohio-based NCR said earnings would be 35 cents a share to 37 cents a share, compared to the Thomson Financial/First Call consensus estimate of 57 cents. Revenues would be about $1.5 billion, the company said, citing slack sales in the key software business, called data warehousing.

The stock fell sharply, falling $6.42, or more than 14 per cent, to $38.35, making it the top net loser on the New York Stock Exchange.

NCR said it saw data warehousing generating 2 per cent growth and the healthier retail store automation and financial self-service businesses generating 7 per cent growth.