Ceradyne Inc. The Costa Mesa manufacturer of...

Ceradyne Inc. The Costa Mesa manufacturer of technical ceramics lost $2 million, or 33 cents a share, for 1992, compared with a loss of $1.1 million, or 18 cents a share, for the previous year. Sales dropped 15% to $18.7 million from $21.9 million. For the fourth quarter, the company lost $424,000, or 8 cents a share, on sales of $4.8 million. For the fourth quarter of 1991, Ceradyne recorded a loss of $939,000, or 15 cents a share, on sales of $5 million. The company attributed the fourth-quarter loss primarily to reduced shipments because of the depressed defense market and a reduced demand for its industrial products during the recession.