ORANGE COUNTY EARNINGS

Micro Therapeutics Inc.: The Irvine maker of medical devices said it lost $3.4 million, or 51 cents a share, for the fourth quarter, compared with a net loss of $1.9 million, or 29 cents a share, for the same period a year earlier. Sales moved up slightly to $852,008 from $837,204.

Substantially all fourth-quarter sales in 1998 were to Abbott Laboratories under an exclusive distribution agreement, which resulted in lower selling prices per unit, on average, Micro said.

For the year, the company reported a net loss of $9.9 million, or 1.49 a share, compared with a loss of $7.2 million, or $1.27 a share, for 1997. Sales rose 56% to $4.2 million from $2.7 million.