MSI Posts Fourfold Increase in Earnings

MSI Data Corp. posted earnings of $209,000 for the second quarter of its 1987 fiscal year--a fourfold increase from $52,000 in earnings for the corresponding period a year ago. Revenues for the quarter ended Sept. 27 were $16.2 million--down 4% from $16.9 million for the second quarter last year.

The Costa Mesa-based maker of hand-held computers and software had six-month earnings of $400,000, contrasted with a loss of $325,000 for the comparable period last year. Revenues for the six months were $31.6 million, up from $30.6 million during the first six months of the prior fiscal year.

Paul J. Schneider, MSI’s chief financial officer, said that while second-quarter revenues fell slightly from the year-earlier total, revenues were inflated for the second quarter last year due to a one-time, $2-million shipment to United Parcel.

Shortly after the close of its fiscal 1987 second quarter, Schneider said, MSI signed a 10-year, $50-million contract with the U.S. Army. He said the company anticipates receiving the peak revenues in the second and third year of the contract.