AMD staff stream out of the door

[dwarakesh]

AMD has laid off another 600 workers - 100 more than expected - and is taking another charge related to its $5.4 billion purchase of ATI Technologies.

As a result, the company's expected restructuring charges have rocketed to $70 million from the $50 million it previously predicted, and there are yet more charges expected for the fist half of next year. The company won't put a figure on these, perhaps on the basis that the situation will have changed again by then anyway.

AMD will also take a goodwill impairment charge related to its 2006 acquisition of graphics chip maker ATI. In a filing with the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) it said its decision was "based on the results of an updated, long-term financial outlook" for the business.

AMDThe company said it could not estimate the size of the charge, which would be material and non-cash, according to the filing. But it's just the latest in a series of charges, including an impairment charge in June relating to the ATI deal and amounting to over £$800 million, and another $20 million impairment charge on its investment in flash memory chip maker Spansion.

Shares of Sunnyvale, California-based AMD closed down eight cents at $2.10.