RealNetworks loss shrinks, revenues double

Outlook good despite loss of Microsoft stake

Internet streaming media software developer RealNetworks saw its loss narrow following a near doubling of its revenue when it reported its latest quarterly figures yesterday. The company reported a loss of $600,000 on revenues of $20 million. That compares to a loss of $2.59 million for the same period last year. Revenue for Q4 97 was $10.3 million. However, because RealNetworks restated the charges it has taken as a result of the acquisition of rival developer Vivo in March 1998, the Q4 98 loss in fact came to $1.1 million. For the full year ended 31 December 1998, RealNetworks' revenue was $64.8 million, up 98 per cent on last year's $32.7 million. The company was in the red to the tune of $6.1 million. Add in the effect of the Vivo takeover and that figure rises to $16.4 million. The company also claimed that the number of registered users of its RealPlayer software passed the 50 million mark, making it the biggest growing consumer desktop application in 1998, according to market research firm Media Metrix. ®