MCI Posts a Profit

Second-quarter revenue falls 10% from a year ago.

Author:: TSC Staff
Publish date:: Aug 9, 2005 8:33 AM EDT

Telecom giant

MCI

(MCIP)

turned a profit in the latest second quarter, reversing a year-ago loss, but revenue fell 10% from the same three-month period of 2004.

For the second quarter ended June 30, the former Worldcom earned $64 million, or 19 cents a share, compared with a loss of $71 million, or 22 cents a share, a year ago.

Revenue for the quarter totaled $4.7 billion, down from $5.2 billion last year. Operating expenses fell to $4.6 billion, down 11% year over year.

"In the second quarter, we continued to launch next-generation products and services, improve customer service and realize results from our cost-reduction initiatives," Michael D. Capellas, MCI president and chief executive, said in a press release. "In the second half of the year, we will remain focused on executing in the marketplace and moving toward a timely completion of our merger with Verizon."

Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call were expecting revenue of $4.6 billion in the second quarter.

Shares of MCI were up 19 cents to $25.50 in premarket trading Tuesday.