Tekelec Expects to Post Loss for 1st Quarter

Tekelec, a Calabasas maker of communications equipment, said it expects to post a loss in the first quarter that ended March 31.

The company estimated the loss will total about $3.8 million on $12 million in revenues--lower than some analysts expected--because of delayed orders and overall softening in the market for diagnostic communications equipment.

Final results from the first quarter are scheduled to be released later this month.

In other news, the company said it has finished negotiations on a $3-million agreement with GTE to provide diagnostic devices for GTE networks.