AST expects its headline loss per share for the six months to 31 December to be less than that of the year-earlier period.
The group says that the headline loss per share will, after full expensing of one-off costs related to its "business improvement programme" will be at least 30% less than that of the six months to 31 December 2002.
This also takes into account the adjustment for the 10-for-one share consolidation that took place in November.
However, it warns that the results have not been reviewed and reported on by auditors and has advised shareholders to exercise caution when dealing in AST shares.
AST is in the midst of a restructuring exercise it refers to as its business improvement programme, aimed at cutting debt and costs.
AST CEO John Miller has said that the idea generation and planning part of the programme is to be completed by next month with full implementation by December 2004.
However, the group expects the full annualised financial benefits to become evident only in the 2005 financial year.
The AST share was trading at 123c by midmorning on the JSE today, down 1c from Friday`s close.
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