LITTLETON, COLO. — EchoStar Communications Corp. said total sales for the three months ended June 30 were $646 million, an 85 percent increase over the $350 million recorded in the same period last year.
However, due to record customer growth, EchoStar experienced increased up-front acquisition costs, resulting in increased operating and net losses, compared to the same 1999 period. As a result, operating losses for the quarter totaled $86 million, compared to $51 million in the year-ago period. Net losses climbed to $133 million in the second quarter, up from $76 million in the year-ago three months.
EchoStar had sales of $1.2 million in the first six months of 2000, up 82 percent from the $660 million recorded in the 1999 first half. In addition to the DiSH Network, the company has a technologies segment that handles manufacturing of DBS set-top boxes and a satellite segment that delivers interactive video and audio services to business TV customers.
Operating losses for the six months reached $228 million, up from $107 million in the first half of last year. First-half net losses, however, were down to $318 million, from $448 million in the year-ago period.
The company said premarketing cash flow grew to $221 million during the second quarter, compared to $129 million in the year-ago period.
