SAN JOSE, Calif. – Atmel Corp.'s loss widened in the fourth quarter as the chip designer wrote down the value of its business, but its sales rose and investors pushed up its stock price after hours Monday.

The company said after the market closed Monday that it lost $77.0 million, or 17 cents per share, in the last three months of 2009. That compares with a loss of $24.4 million, or 5 cents per share, a year earlier.