Avon reports fourth-quarter loss but sells more items

(Reuters) - Avon on Tuesday reported a net quarterly loss of $162.2 million, or 37 cents per share, compared to a loss of $400,000, or nil per share a year ago, and the cosmetics direct seller said revenue fell 1 percent to $3 billion a year earlier.

But in a sign of improvement in its business, AVON (AVP.NY)said it sold 2 percent more items in the quarter, and the number of sales representatives rose 1 percent.

(Reporting by Phil Wahba; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)