** Shares of Roomba vacuum cleaner maker iRobot IRBT.O slip 83% to 75 cents premarket after co files for bankruptcy
** Co filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware bankruptcy court on Sunday after raising concerns about staying in business in March
** Profits have been eroded by competition from lower-priced Chinese rivals and new U.S. tariffs
** According to the bankruptcy plan, co will be taken private by its primary manufacturer Picea, which will also cancel two loans IRBT owes
** Amazon.com AMZN.O had once attempted to buy IRBT in a $1.4 billion deal, but the plan was abandoned last year due to regulatory roadblocks
** Up to last close, IRBT is down 44.3% YTD
(Reporting by Avinash P in Bengaluru)
((Avinash.P@thomsonreuters.com))
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