AST Stock Soars 14.4% as Firm Unveils Computer

AST Research Inc.’s stock price soared 14.4% to a new record on Friday as the company unveiled an inexpensive, high-end notebook computer and said it has begun large shipments of its initial lightweight notebook machines.

The company’s stock closed at $52.50 per share, up $6.625 in over-the-counter trading on Friday. More than 1.28 million shares traded hands, making AST one of the most active OTC stocks.

The surge in the price caps a remarkable rise in Irvine-based AST’s stock in the past three months. The stock has more than doubled since mid-November and increased four-fold from a year ago on the strength of new products and expansion into new markets.