National Semiconductor Posts 8th Quarterly Loss

National Semiconductor reported its eighth consecutive quarterly loss on Monday, saying that for the third fiscal quarter ended March 8 it lost $25.6 million on sales of $398.1 million.

The continuing red ink at National, once one of the premier moneymakers in the semiconductor business, adds a colorful underscore to the industry’s arguments for a government-funded effort to return U.S. computer chip makers to competitiveness.

National’s losses narrowed from the year-ago period, when it lost $39.4 million on sales of $322.3 million. But the third-quarter 1987 figures were a disappointment in comparison to the company’s second-quarter report, as sales contracted and losses expanded.

Included in the third-quarter loss was a $15-million one-time charge related to restructuring in its Data Checker and semiconductor manufacturing operations.

Charles E. Sporck, chief executive of the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company, said: “During the third quarter, the semiconductor group reported a moderate increase in sales and a major improvement in operating performance, compared to the same quarter last year. However, sales and operating performance for the group declined, compared to the prior quarter this year.

“We expect that semiconductor business conditions will continue to show improvement this year,” Sporck continued, “and that our information systems group will continue strong sales growth based on recent order trends and new product introductions.”