Virtualization maven VMware hit the ball out of the park Tuesday when it said its first quarter revenues cleared $843.7 million, up 33% year-over-year, and profits came in at $125.8 million, up 60%, or 48 cents a share.

Wall Street thought it would do 42 cents on $815.4 million.

Its shares were up over 14% Wednesday to $98.49, an airy height the stock hasn't seen lately, based on its forecast.

It said it imagines sales this quarter will be $860 million-$880 million, above the $845.1 million analysts were projecting, and that it would end the year at $3.55 billion-$3.65 billion. It means to keep hiring.

In the quarter, license revenues were up 34% to $419 million and services up 32% to $425 million. It apparently closed some large accounts, who exactly it kept a mystery.