Atlas in red despite revenue surge A surge in revenue has not been enough to drag Atlas Iron into the black, with the Pilbara exporter today reporting a loss from its ordinary operations. The narrow underlying loss of $500,000 sank to a final loss of $245 million once asset write downs were accounted for. But despite the loss, Atlas shareholders will again receive a 3 cent dividend based on the strong cashflows being generated by the company and its plans to increase exports by about 25 per cent in the 2014 financial year. Atlas has been prioritising growth and spent $277 million on improving infrastructure and expanding mines. It sold 32 per cent more iron ore than in 2012, and grew revenue by about 13 per cent. But lower iron ore prices weighed heavily on Atlas' result, with the company's average received price being just $US106 per tonne, despite the benchmark iron ore price averaging just higher than $US126 per tonne during the 2013 financial year. The benchmark price was at $US137.80 per tonne this morning. Atlas had been expected to finalise an railway deal with neighbour Fortescue Metals as a way to help develop its long-term growth projects. But that deal has looked increasingly unlikely in recent months as Fortescue's financial position has improved, reducing its urgency to generate cash from such deals. Atlas today said it was in talks with potential partners who may take an equity stance in its growth projects, or strike other sorts of partnerships to make the developments more financially viable. Atlas shares have fallen for the past five days in a row and last traded at 93 cents per share. Atlas boss Ken Brinsden will speak to the media shortly.