Increased business expansion costs and lower-than-expected revenues...

Increased business expansion costs and lower-than-expected revenues during July and August generated a loss of $923,000 for General Automation in the first quarter ended Sept. 30. The loss contrasts with a net income of $376,000 for the comparable period last year. Revenues for the quarter were $10.2 million, a 4% increase from the $9.8 million posted a year earlier. John Murray, executive vice president of the Anaheim-based computer company, said Parallel Computers, a subsidiary, lost about $550,000 over the past two quarters, due primarily to planned increases in development costs. The evaluation of acquisition candidates also contributed to the first-quarter loss, the company reported.