EarthLink Inc. on Tuesday posted a first-quarter net loss of $11.8 million, or 7 cents a share compared with a loss of $65.7 million, or 43 cents a share the same period a year ago. The Internet
service provider's quarterly loss was narrower than expected due to cost-cutting efforts and a 5.6 percent increase in paying subscribers. Excluding restructuring costs, Atlanta-based Earthlink posted
a profit of $18.4 million, or 11 cents a share in the first quarter, compared with a loss of $29.1 million, or 19 cents a share for the year-ago period. First-quarter revenue dropped slightly to
$351.6 million, from $353.7 million. Earthlink said it added 98,000 net subscribers during the first quarter and ended the period with about 5.3 million paying subscribers, an increase of 283,000 from
a year earlier. Earthlink also said it expects to post full-year net income in a range of $54 million to $80 million-that's up from $13 million to $39 million which the company projected in January.
It said it would add 300,000 to 550,000 paying subscribers for the year.
