Unisys Reports $78.7-Million Loss

Unisys Corp., the nation’s third largest computer maker, said Friday that it lost $78.7 million in the first quarter due to costs associated with changing to a new line of mainframe computers.

The loss reversed profit of $149.3 million a year ago. Revenue dipped to $2.2 billion from $2.37 billion.

Unisys, of Blue Bell, Pa., announced last month that it expected the shortfall, citing low shipments of its veteran 1100 computers, costs from a reorganization announced in January and the Pentagon probe into alleged defense procurement fraud.

The company said Friday that the loss was an aberration, citing the temporary costs of changing from the 1100 line to the new 2200 line of large-scale mainframes, including start-up expenses, inventory reduction and lower production runs.

Securities analysts agreed that Unisys may have the worst behind it and should be set to return to profitability for the rest of 1989.