Northrop Corp. reported a third-quarter loss of...

Northrop Corp. reported a third-quarter loss of $32.5 million, or 69 cents a share, on sales of $1.29 billion, resulting from a previously announced loss provision for the tri-service standoff attack missile. The company said last August that it would take a $152-million charge in the third quarter on the fixed-price program, which is behind schedule.

The Los Angles-based aerospace firm earned $47.4 million, or $1.01 a share, on sales of $1.56 billion in the period last year. The decline in sales resulted primarily from a reversal of $80 million in revenue on the missile program, because of the schedule slippage. B-2 bomber revenue was also lower.