PARIS, March 6 — Vivendi Universal today reported a record loss of more than $25 billion for 2002, largely as a result of huge write-offs on investments made in the heady years of the 1990's.

The company also confirmed that it was considering selling its American entertainment assets.

For France it was, unfortunately, a week of records. Vivendi's loss of 23.3 billion euros, or $25.6 billion — almost double the company's 2001 loss of 13.6 billion euros — was the largest in French history, shattering a one-day-old of $23 billion that was set on Wednesday by France Télécom.

Vivendi, which narrowly escaped a liquidity crisis last year, said it expected to return to profit before one-time items by 2003, and it reaffirmed its pledge to shed assets valued at 7 billion euros this year.

The announcements came after a much-awaited board meeting at which the future of Vivendi's entertainment businesses was discussed. But the company did not shed light on the fate of those businesses at a news conference that its senior managers held after the meeting.