Interlink Ends Year With Mixed Results

Interlink Electronics in Camarillo had mixed results in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31 with record revenues but a net loss due to lower-than-expected profits in initial sales of the company’s new VersaPad product line.

With revenues of $5.4 million, the company showed a 34% revenue growth compared with the fourth quarter of 1996. Sales of VersaPoint pointing products, Interlink’s main product line, increased by 35% compared with the fourth quarter of the previous year.

However, the company reported a loss of $774,000, or 15 cents per share, compared with net income of $207,000, or 5 cents, for the same period in 1996.

For the year, revenues reached $19.2 million, increasing 42% over 1996. Revenues from the VersaPoint product line increased 46% to $16.9 million compared with the prior year. Net income for the year was $30,000, or 1 cent per share, compared with net income of $515,000, or 12 cents per share, in 1996.

“Clearly, 1997’s results were negatively impacted by our production yield problem in the fourth quarter,” said E. Michael Thoben, Interlink chairman, CEO and president.

Thoben said the problems that beset the company during the fourth quarter are not expected to affect this year’s bottom line.

“We can now boast of a ‘blue-chip’ customer list with names like InFocus, NEC, Sony, Toshiba, Sharp and Hitachi,” Thoben said.

Interlink designs and manufactures computer pointing devices.