Hycor Biomedical Write-Down to Result in $5.5-Million Loss

Hycor Biomedical Inc. said it expects to report a fourth-quarter loss of about $5.5 million, or 77 cents a share, after taking a $5.3-million noncash write-down related to tax accounting changes and to reduction of the value of “goodwill” booked when the company acquired Medical Specialties International Inc. last year.

Garden Grove-based Hycor said revenue for the fourth quarter should drop about 10% to $4.7 million from $5.2 million.

The maker of medical diagnostic products said it reduced losses from actual operations during the last quarter and expects its final figures to show a per-share loss of no more than 5 cents, compared with a loss of 11 cents a share for the fourth quarter of 1997.

The announcement was made after the market closed Friday.