Datum Inc. reported a 29% increase in...

Datum Inc. reported a 29% increase in earnings for its fiscal first quarter despite a slight drop in revenue. The Anaheim-based manufacturer of electronic frequency and timing instruments recorded earnings of $279,000, up from $217,000 in the year-earlier period. Datum President Louis B. Horwitz attributed the earnings growth to “higher gross (profit) margins on each of our major operations.” Revenue declined slightly to $6.42 million, from $6.45 million a year ago. Datum also said it has signed a definitive agreement for its acquisition of Austron Inc., a maker of frequency and timing equipment based in Beverly, Mass. As previously announced, Datum plans to buy all of Austron’s 3.6 million common shares outstanding in a deal valued at about $11.7 million.