Datametrics Reports Loss of $735,440 in 1st Quarter

Datametrics, a Chatsworth producer of computer printers for the aerospace and defense industries, reported a $735,440 loss for its fiscal first quarter, compared with a year-earlier profit of $504,198.

Datametrics’ sales in the quarter that ended Jan. 28 fell 15% from a year earlier, to $5.80 million from $6.83 million.

The company blamed the loss largely on part shortages and higher research and development spending, which jumped to $652,000 in the latest quarter from $29,000 a year earlier. However, Datametrics said its order backlog as of Feb. 28 totaled $32.5 million, up from $26.3 million as of Oct. 31.

Because of the company’s disappointing performance, its board of directors recently hired a firm to investigate the possibility of selling the company to a bigger concern.