Tide is turning for AMD

Though still a loss, the tide for AMD definitrely seems to be turning.

AMD beats expectations by announcing a third-quarter net loss of $128 million, or 18 cents per share, on a revenue of $1.4 billion. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected AMD would report a loss of 42 cents per share on a revenue of $1.26 billion. Sales were down 22 percent from $1.8 billion in Q3 2008 but up 18 percent sequentially, while the company's loss shrunk from $134 million, or 22 cents per share, in the year-earlier period.

AMD CEO Dirk Meyer points out the AMD Product Company, which excludes the foundry segment, achieved a non-GAAP net income of $2 million, thus delivering on his promise to return to profitability.

A breakdown of the revenue reveals computing solution sales were up 17 percent sequentially to $1,069 million, due to higher shipments and higher Average Selling Prices (ASPs) of processors. Compared to Q3 2008 computing solutions revenue is down 23 percent, mainly due to dropping ASPs. Sales of ATI graphics cards are up 22 percent sequentially to $306 million, units were up but ASPs down. Compared to the year-earlier period graphics card revenue is down 21 percent, mainly due to lower ASPs.