Aug 28 (Reuters) - Data center operator Applied Digital ( APLD )

posted a bigger-than-expected fourth-quarter loss on

Wednesday, impacted by substantial expenses related to

facilities and equipment that have yet to generate revenue.

Shares of the Dallas, Texas-based company fell 13% in

extended trading.

Constructing and maintaining data center facilities to

swiftly meet demand is a lengthy and capital-intensive process

that requires substantial investments over time.

Moreover, tech firms have kept their budgets tight in a bid

to control costs, as they look forward to build their own

independent data centers.

For the fourth quarter, Applied Digital ( APLD ) posted an adjusted

loss per share of 36 cents, bigger than the 22 cents expected by

analysts, according to LSEG data.

The company said adjusted loss of $45.3 million in the

quarter was negatively impacted by expenses worth $15.5 million.

The results follow its July announcement of a deal to sell

up to $125 million worth of shares, a move that aims to bolster

its balance sheet after experiencing power outages earlier this

year.

The outages occurred at its Ellendale facility in North

Dakota, which necessitated the replacement of faulty

transformers.

The company reported fourth-quarter revenue of $43.7

million, compared with estimates of $37.6 million.

Net loss for the reported quarter widened to $64.8 million,

from $6.5 million a year ago.