(Associated Press via NewsEdge) Chipmaker Infineon Technologies said its fourth-quarter loss widened because of charges related to the bankruptcy filing of BenQ Mobile's German subsidiary and the spinoff of Qimonda.
The Munich-based company lost 36 million euros ($46.05 million) in the quarter, compared with a loss of 23 million euros ($) a year earlier.
Analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires had predicted a profit of 25 million euros ($32 million).
Sales rose 32% to 2.29 billion euros ($2.93 billion) from 1.73 billion euros, beating analyst expectations of 2.09 billion euros ($2.67 billion).
Shares of Infineon were down 2.35% to 9.56 euros ($12.23) in Frankfurt trading.
Infineon, one of Europe's largest chipmakers, had already issued a warning earlier this year that its cell phone business would stay in the red until the end of 2007, a year longer than originally expected, because of the negative implications from the insolvency of its largest customer, BenQ Mobile.
It also said that sales and earnings of its automotive, industrial and multi-market division may fall in the first quarter because of seasonal anticipated volume reductions at US car manufacturers, and continuing losses at its power semiconductor business.
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