The Irvine, California-based chip maker Broadcom Corp reported a fourth-quarter loss of $159.2 million, a negative turnaround from its year-before profit of $90.3 million in the same quarter.

The dismal figures resulted largely due to big one-time charges. While one charge was for Broadcom's acquisition of Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s digital-television chip business; the other was for a write-down for the value of the company's mobile platforms business group.

Though the quarterly sales exceeded the estimates, the posted loss triggered a 4 percent drop in Broadcom's shares.

For the ongoing quarter, the company has predicted a fall in revenue, and said that it would layoff 3 percent of its employees - that is, 200 employees - and postpone salary hikes.

Broadcom's sales guidance for the first quarter, based on the weak economy, comprises figures between $800 million and $875 million, which is way too less than Wall Street's expected $953 million in sales by the analysts.

Nonetheless, the company executives said on a conference call that though the company was being hit by the slowdown in demand, they are still optimistic that customers would have cleared out surplus inventory in the next quarter, helping Broadcom gain market share.

Broadcom CEO Scott McGregor said: "We clearly grew share in our key target markets in 2008. As we look to 2009 based on recent commentary we believe we're very well positioned to do so again."