RSA expects third-quarter loss

RSA Security expects to post a loss of between US$12.5 million and $14.1 million for the third quarter of 2001, the company said Monday. The company will announce its final results Oct. 11.

That figure, which would translate to a loss of between $0.21 and $0.24 per share, is substantially lower than the company's third quarter 2000 numbers, which saw RSA tally a $40 million profit, or $0.63 a share. RSA had said it expected to earn between $0.09 and $0.14 per share in the quarter when it announced its second quarter results in July. Consensus estimates taken from 18 analysts polled by the Nasdaq.com Web site had pegged RSA at reporting a $0.04 per share gain for the quarter, which ended Sept. 31.

Additionally, RSA said it expects revenue for the quarter to be between $62 million and $63 million, down from $72 million in the same quarter in 2000. When it announced its second quarter results, the company had said it expected to see between $72 million and $80 million in revenue this quarter.

RSA did not immediately return calls seeking comment.