TECHNOLOGY - April 12, 1994

New AST Outlet: AST Research Inc., the nation’s fourth-largest computer maker, said its computers will be sold in CompUSA outlets, the nation’s largest computer superstore chain with 72 stores and nearly $2 billion in sales.

The deal could give a significant boost to Irvine-based AST’s revenues since computer superstores like Dallas-based CompUSA are expected to capture as much as 22% of the computer product sales market by 1996, based on estimates by market researcher Merrin Information Services in Palo Alto.

“The superstore category for us is one of the fastest growing sales channels,” said Jim Schraith, AST’s senior vice president of worldwide sales and service.

Computer superstores, which sell high volumes of computer products at discount prices in warehouse-like stores, have grown dramatically in the past five years.

AST also said it will open an office in Moscow as part of a push to sell personal computers to the newly opened markets of the former Soviet Union.

AST said Robert N. McFarland, AST’s director of international business development, will head the AST sales and support team.