VISTA - Directed Electronics Inc., the nation's leading supplier of car security devices and home audio speakers, has warned investors that sales of its Sirius Satellite radio products would fall short of earlier projections.

Following the Vista company's announcement late Tuesday, an analyst who follows Directed for Wachovia Capital Markets downgraded his rating on Wednesday from outperforming the market to performing the same as the market.

Senior analyst Ralph Jean estimated that the decline in radio products sales would cause the company's earnings for the year 2007 to drop by 10 percent, from $1 per share to 90 cents per share.

The company's stock closed Wednesday at $7.83, down 6.8 percent for the day, and down 51 percent from $16.06 on Sept. 14, its high over the last year.

Sales of Directed's satellite radio products could drop by 35 percent to 45 percent in 2007 from 2006, the company said in a news release. The projected decline is tied to a shift to lower-priced radio products and lower sales volume.

A spokesman for Directed did not return a call for comment.

In 2006, Directed reported earnings of $21 million on revenues of $437.8 million, or $1.06 per share.

- Contact Business Editor Ann Perry at (760) 740-5444 or aperry@nctimes.com.