Tyco International's 3Q Profit, Outlook Disappoint

Hurt by charges related to its recent breakup and weaker sales, Tyco International (NYSE:TYC) swung to a fourth-quarter loss on Wednesday and revealed a worse-than-expected fiscal 2013 outlook.

The maker of breathing apparatuses, fire-fighting equipment and security systems reported a net loss last quarter of $419 million, or $1.36 a share, compared with a year-earlier profit of $397 million, or 37 cents.

Excluding one-time items such as negative foreign exchange rates and an extra week in the same period in 2011, Tyco earned 33 cents, missing average analyst estimates in a Thomson Reuters poll by two cents.

Revenue for the three-month period fell 2.5% to $2.73 billion from $2.8 billion a year ago, edging just above the Street’s view of $2.72 billion.

Its small global products business touted a 15% increase in revenue, fueled by a 24% leap in security and 10% improvement in life safety products.

“Our full year and fourth quarter results highlight our ability to continue to deliver margin expansion,” Tyco CEO George Oliver said in a statement.

The performance coupled with its balance sheet and continued investments in profitable businesses will help the company achieve a 15% to 16% segment operating margin before special items by 2015, Oliver said.

The company, however, forecast fiscal 2013 profit of $1.75 to $1.85 a share, below the consensus of $1.87, on sales between $10.6 billion and $10.7 billion, compared with analysts’ view of $10.74 billion.

Tyco, which spun off its flow control and ADT businesses earlier this year, said sales fell by 5% in its North America Systems Installation & Services group while its international installation and services group posted a 7% decline in revenue.