04:03 PM EST - Silver Wheaton Corp. : reported a net loss for the fourth quarter compared to a profit in the year-ago period, hurt by a writedown of long-term investments and a 43-per-cent drop in sales. For fiscal year 2009, the company forecasts higher silver sales compared to the preceding year. For the fourth quarter, the company's net loss was $54.19 million U.S., or $0.22 U.S. per share, compared to net income of $24.89 million U.S., or $0.11 U.S. per share, in the same period last year. On average, nine analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings for the quarter of $0.03 U.S. per share. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. The results for the latest quarter include a non-cash write-down of long term investments of $64.0 million U.S., or $0.26 U.S. per share. Silver Wheaton Corp.
shares T.SLW are trading down $0.96 at $8.34.
