Optical Cable quarterly sales rise 22% as gross margin expands

Optical Cable Corporation reported fiscal 2026 third-quarter net sales of $24.3 million, up 22.0% from a year earlier, as sales increased across enterprise, data center and specialty markets. Gross margin widened to 37.4% from 31.7%, and net income rose to $1.9 million, or $0.21 per basic and diluted share.

Third-quarter results

Gross profit grew faster than sales, lifting gross margin to 37.4% from 31.7%. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased to $7.0 million from $5.7 million, but represented 28.7% of sales compared with 28.8% a year earlier.

U.S. net sales increased 20.3%, while international net sales rose 28.8%. Optical Cable, headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, supplies fiber optic and copper data communication cabling and connectivity solutions for enterprise, data center and specialty or harsh-environment markets. Its shares trade on the Nasdaq Global Market under OCC.

Nine-month results

For the first nine months of fiscal 2026, net sales increased 18.3% to $62.9 million from $53.2 million. U.S. sales grew 14.8%, and international sales increased 31.1%.

Gross profit rose 35.5% to $22.1 million from $16.3 million, with gross margin improving to 35.0% from 30.6%. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased to $18.8 million from $16.9 million.

Nine-month net income was $2.5 million, or $0.28 per basic and diluted share, compared with a net loss of $1.5 million, or $0.19 per basic and diluted share, in the prior-year period.

Demand and backlog

The company attributed sales growth to increases in enterprise, data center and specialty markets. Its sales order backlog/forward load was $13.5 million at July 31, compared with $13.3 million at April 30, $10.4 million at January 31 and $7.3 million at October 31, 2025. These figures describe the order position at each date; they are separate from sales recognized during the quarter.

Filing path

The earnings release is dated September 9, 2026, and appears as Exhibit 99.1 to Optical Cable's Form 8-K filed September 11, 2026, under Items 2.02 and 9.01. The results cover the fiscal third quarter ended July 31, 2026.

Optical Cable Corporation disclosed fiscal 2026 third-quarter results in Form 8-K AccNo 0001437749-26-030174 under Items 2.02 and 9.01 with Exhibit 99.1, filed September 11, 2026 (earnings release dateline September 9, 2026) for the quarter ended July 31, 2026.