ORANGE COUNTY EARNINGS

General Automation Inc.: After months of financial uncertainty, the Irvine software support service company reported a fiscal third-quarter loss of $1.6 million, or 18 cents a share, compared with a loss of $414,000, or 5 cents a share, a year ago. Revenue for the period ended June 30 dropped 14% to $7.5 million from $8.7 million.

General Automation also released results for the second quarter and amended first-quarter results. The company’s auditors had withdrawn their financial reports for fiscal 1995, 1996 and 1997 because of internal accounting errors.

For the second quarter ended March 31, the company lost $1.7 million, or 19 cents a share, compared with a loss of $543,000, or 6 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenues were $7.4 million, down 14% from $9.1 million.

Last year, the company originally reported a profit of $214,000, or 2 cents a share, for its third fiscal quarter 1997, and a net profit of $134,000, or 2 cents a share, for the second quarter.