Optical Cable reports profit of 3 cents per share

The company, a manufacturer of a broad range of fiber-optic and copper data communications cabling, had net sales of $17.3 million for the quarter, down 2.1 percent from the same period last year.

Optical Cable’s net income attributable to the company was, $192,000, or 3 cents per diluted share, compared with $402,000, or 6 cents a share, during the first quarter of 2011.

The company’s sales in commercial markets rose by about 14 percent during the first quarter, but its specialty markets sales — particularly its military and severe duty markets — offset the increase. 

Gross profit for the quarter was $6.2 million, slightly lower than the company’s gross profit of $6.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2011. 

Gross profit margin, or gross profit as a percentage of net sales, decreased slightly to 35.5% in the first quarter of fiscal year 2012 from 36.3% in the first quarter of fiscal year 2011.