CalComp Forecasting Revenue Growth

CalComp Technology Inc. President John Batterton said Monday that the company expects revenue to increase at a “double-digit” percentage rate this year, ending a three-year decline since it was spun off from Lockheed Martin Corp.

CalComp is betting on its new line of CrystalJet inkjet printers for professionals, while retiring products sold to engineers using computer-aided design systems.

CalComp gets about half of its revenue from “output products,” or printers like CrystalJet, and about 25% from “input products” like scanners. Batterton, who was brought in from Eastman Kodak Co. on April 1, declined to predict sales or earnings performance for CalComp, in which Lockheed Martin retains an 86% stake.

CalComp’s 1997 loss widened to $75.2 million, or $1.60 a share, from $56.6 million, or $1.32, in 1996. Revenue fell 15% to $200.2 million.