NEW YORK - Video game publisher Electronic Arts says its fiscal fourth-quarter net loss widened on a slew of charges, though adjusted results beat Wall Street's expectations.

Redwood City, Calif.-based Electronic Arts Inc. reports a loss of US$94 million, or 30 cents per share, compared with a loss of $25 million, or eight cents per share, in the same period a year earlier.

Excluding the effects of deferred revenue for online-enabled games, stock-based compensation costs and other items, EA earned $30 million, or nine cents per share in the quarter ended March 31.

Revenue jumped 84 per cent to $1.13 billion from $613 million. Excluding a benefit from the recognition of deferred revenue, the quarter's sales were $919 million.

Analysts, on average, expected EA to break even on a per-share basis with sales of $834.8 million, excluding items, according to a poll by Thomson Financial.

For the fiscal year ending next March, EA forecast earnings of 25 cents to 52 cents per share and adjusted earnings of $1.30 to $1.70 per share. Analysts predict a profit of $1.73 per share.

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