Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) easily hurded the consensus earnings estimate in the first quarter and set a stock split. After market close Thursday, the world's second largest independent software vendor reported fiscal first quarter net income of $501 million, or 17 cents per share. First Call's survey of 28 analysts predicted a profit of 13 cents per share for the quarter ended Aug. 31. Also Thursday, Oracle announced a 2-for-1 stock split, to take effect after market close Oct. 12 for shareholders of Sept. 25 record. It will be the tenth stock split for Oracle since the company went public in March 1986. Oracle currently has more than 2.8 billion shares outstanding. Shares of Oracle traded above 82 in relatively strong afterhours activity on the Island electronic communications network, immediately following the earnings report.