SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY : Stock Purchases Give L.A. Investment Company Nearly 20% of Certron Corp.

After making 19 stock purchases in the past five months, a Los Angeles investment company now owns nearly 20% of Anaheim-based Certron Corp., which distributes magnetic tapes and related products.

Louart Corp.’s most recent Certron purchase was 20,000 shares on March 29, bringing Louart’s stake in the company to 610,800 shares, according to a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The investment company is Certron’s largest shareholder.

Marshall I. Kass, Louart president, said his company bought 68,000 Certron shares in March, 90,000 in February and 70,000 in December, in a purchase program predicated on market conditions.

“The price has gone way down since October,” Kass said. “We feel it’s a good investment. We have two people on the board of directors. We look for good things to come from the company, we hope.”

According to the SEC, Louart has spent $1.04 million on Certron stock, or an average of $1.69 per share. Kass said that his company has been buying it since March, 1985.

Terry Frisco, Certron secretary-treasurer, said there is no fear within his company of a Louart takeover.

“We have no concerns at this point,” he said. “It’s always been stated that it (Louart’s purchase program) is for investment purposes, and we have no reason to believe otherwise.”

Certron stock closed at $1.875 in over-the-counter trading, unchanged from Thursday’s close.