Ascend’s 3rd Quarter Falls on Foreign Sales

Ascend Communications Corp. said its third-quarter net income fell 11%, the first shortfall ever for the computer networking gear maker, because of product delays and weak sales abroad. Alameda-based Ascend, which makes equipment to control the flow of information through computer networks, said profit fell to $40.1 million, or 20 cents a share, from $45.2 million, or 23 cents, in the same quarter a year ago. Revenue for the quarter ended Sept. 30 rose 8.8% to $270.4 million from $248.8 million. Ascend had told investors two weeks ago that its third-quarter results would be less than Wall Street expectations. Before the warning, analysts expected the company to earn 28 cents a share. Ascend specializes in making telecommunication gear for online services that can accept calls from the modems of hundreds of personal computer users. The introduction of a new modem technology in the industry this year delayed shipments of Ascend gear in key international markets, the company said. Shares were unchanged at $33.13 on Nasdaq.