Hot Topic loss widens

City of Industry, Calif. Hot Topic said Wednesday its second-quarter loss widened as sales continued to drop amid the recession.

For the three months ended Aug. 1, the company lost $3.2 million, or 7 cents per share. That compares with a loss of $450,000 in the year-ago period.

The most recent quarter's results included a 2-cent-per-share charge related to the company's online music site, ShockHound.com.

Revenue fell 5% to $157.8 million, from $166.8 million last year. Same-store sales were down 7.7%.

Analysts expect the "Twilight" sequel, "New Moon," to boost Hot Topic’s sales this fall, although it may not be as powerful a sales driver as the first movie.