3Com’s 4th-Quarter Loss Widens on Slowing Sales

3Com Corp. said its fiscal fourth-quarter operating loss widened to $206.3 million, or 61 cents a share, from $122.8 million, or 36 cents, a year ago. Analysts on average were expecting a 57-cent loss at the computer networking company. Revenue fell 39% to $468 million.

Chief Executive Bruce Claflin said he expects “very little growth� in the fiscal first quarter over the fourth quarter. He reiterated an earlier forecast that 3Com will be profitable in the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2002, though he said there is now greater risk to achieving the goal.