Unilab Posts Profit for 3rd Quarter; Sales Up

Unilab Corp. posted a profit of $691,000 for its third quarter, compared with a net loss of $8.5 million a year earlier. Revenues for the three months that ended Sept. 30 were $54.2 million, up 3% from $52.7 million a year ago.

For the nine months, Unilab reported a $390,000 net loss, compared with a $16.6 million net loss in 1996, and it reported sales of $161,300, up 3% from $156,300 a year earlier.

“Careful identification of specific services that are most valued by our clients has allowed us to steadily reduce key operating expenses elsewhere throughout our business,” said David Weavil, chairman and chief executive officer of Unilab. “We have been able to drive direct staffing expense down to its lowest absolute and percent level in two years.”

Unilab, based in Tarzana, is a clinical laboratory analysis firm with more than 200 offices in the state.