Seagate posts 4Q loss on lower sales, big charges

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. — Hard drive maker Seagate Technology on Tuesday reported a fiscal fourth-quarter loss, reversing a year-ago profit, but said it is seeing signs of improvement in the data storage market and lifted its revenue outlook for the first quarter.

Losses totaled $81 million, or 16 cents per share, down from profit of $160 million, or 32 cents per share, in the same quarter last year. Seagate says $106 million in restructuring and other charges hurt latest-quarter results by 22 cents per share.

Revenue in the three months through July 3 fell 19 percent to $2.35 billion from $2.90 billion, but still topped expectations.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected, on average, a loss of 10 cents per share on $2.25 billion in revenue. Analyst estimates typically exclude one-time items.

Shares jumped 24 cents, or 2 percent, to $11.44 in after-hours trading, after rising 16 cents to close at $11.20 before the earnings were announced.

“We are … seeing signs that the storage markets are improving and are providing better visibility into the demand environment,” said Seagate CEO Steve Luczo said in a statement.

Seagate said it expects industry demand for disk drives to be between 135 million and 140 million units in the quarter through September, and now expects first-quarter revenue of $2.4 billion to $2.6 billion — up from prior guidance of $2.35 billion to $2.5 billion.

Analysts have forecast sales of $2.41 billion.

For the year, Seagate said it lost $3.09 billion, or $6.32 per share, reversing a $1.33 billion profit a year earlier. Revenue fell 23 percent to $9.81 billion from $12.71 billion.