EARNINGS

MCI Inc., the No. 2 U.S. long-distance company, had a third-quarter loss of $3.4 billion because of costs to write down the value of its telephone network. The net loss of $10.65 a share widened from $55 million a year earlier. Sales fell 15% to $5.08 billion.

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* Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc., the biggest U.S. maker of birth-control pills, reported a 35% jump in fiscal first-quarter earnings. Net income for the three months ended Sept. 30 increased to $52.1 million, or 49 cents a share, from $38.5 million, or 37 cents, a year earlier. Sales dropped 21% to $244.5 million because generic competition reduced demand for the antibiotic ciprofloxacin.

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* Qwest Communications International Inc. reported a third-quarter loss, partly because of lower revenue and a $250-million charge related to litigation reserves after settling civil accounting fraud charges. The telecommunications company reported a loss of $569 million, or 31 cents a share, versus earnings of $1.8 billion, or $1.05, a year earlier.

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* XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. said that sales more than doubled in the third quarter and that it added a net 415,600 subscribers. The net loss was $118 million, or 59 cents a share, compared with $133.4 million, or $1.12, a year earlier. Revenue rose to $65.4 million, driven by an increase in customers.