Cerplex Posts Loss for ‘96, Will Sell Subsidiary

Cerplex Group Inc. reported Thursday that it lost $27.4 million, or $2.04 a share, last year and has agreed to sell one of its subsidiaries to help pay down its bank debts and bolster its financial condition.

The company said it expects to receive about $13 million from the sale of its Peripheral Computer Support Inc. operation to the unit’s managers and their financial partners. Peripheral specializes in computer repair work.

Cerplex’s annual loss was smaller than the $39.4 million, or $3.01 a share, it lost the previous year. Sales rose 33%, to $191.5 million last year from $144.3 million the previous year.

For the fourth quarter, the company lost $13.6 million, or 99 cents a share, compared with a loss of $15.5 million, or $1.18 a share, for the final three months of 1995. Quarterly sales rose 15%, to $48.7 million from $42.5 million.

Cerplex is an independent computer repair servicer that also provides parts distribution management and logistics management services.