RealNetworks Posts Q4 Loss
RealNetworks investors hoping the company’s recent management changes herald an improvement in its financial performance should steel themselves for another unpleasant quarter or two. Reporting a worse-than-expected fourth-quarter net loss after market close today, Real said it expects revenue in the current quarter “to decline by up to 12 percent year-over-year and up to 15 percent sequentially.”
An ugly forecast, especially considering today’s financial report from the company: A loss of $13.3 million, or 11 cents a share, on revenue of $145.5 million–down five percent year-over-year.
“The severe recession in 2009 hurt both our revenue and profitability for the year,” Bob Kimball, president and acting CEO of RealNetworks, said in an earnings news release. “While we don’t expect that overall trend to change in the first quarter, we are aggressively moving to transform RealNetworks into a more simple and focused company that delivers value to its shareholders. The first step in Real’s simplification was announced this week with the separation of our Rhapsody music business into an independent company.”