Conexant loss narrows

Communications chipmaker Conexant reported a net loss of $200.7 million, or 78 cents a share, on revenue of $241 million for its second fiscal quarter ended March 29. That compares with a net loss of $262 million, or $1.08 a share, and revenue of $251 million for the same quarter a year ago. Excluding charges, the Newport Beach, Calif.-based company posted a pro forma loss of $88.3 million, or 34 cents a share. Analysts surveyed by First Call estimated that the company would post a pro forma loss of 37 cents. The company said it expects fiscal third-quarter revenue to grow between 3 percent and 5 percent from the previous quarter and that its pro forma loss will decrease by 15 percent. The company's Mindspeed division, which makes chips for telecom gear, grew 34 percent from the previous quarter to $19 million, the strongest growth of all its units.