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Optical Cable Corp. (OCC)
NASDAQ:OCC

Optical Cable (OCC) AI Stock Analysis

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OCC

Optical Cable

(NASDAQ:OCC)

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Neutral 49 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:49Neutral
Price Target:
$6.00
▼(-29.49% Downside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:03/10/26
The score is held back primarily by weak profitability and negative/volatile cash flow despite strong recent revenue growth and an improved leverage profile. Technical indicators are modestly supportive, while negative earnings and no dividend limit valuation support; the earnings call was cautiously optimistic but still reflects ongoing execution risk.
Positive Factors
Strategic partnership
The Lightera collaboration and equity investment is a structural change that strengthens product capabilities and provides capital credibility. It supports OCC’s push into data center and enterprise markets, broadening addressable markets and enabling longer‑term product roadmap and channel expansion.
Top-line momentum
Sustained revenue expansion indicates improving market traction across enterprise and specialty markets. Durable top‑line growth increases scale, helps absorb fixed costs, and creates runway for margin recovery if management sustains sales mix toward higher value data center and connectivity products.
Improved gross margins
A material gross margin recovery to ~31% reflects better pricing, product mix, or manufacturing efficiency. Higher gross margins enhance structural profitability potential and provide room to invest in sales or R&D while still moving toward sustained positive operating margins over the medium term.
Negative Factors
Profitability remains weak
Despite revenue gains, OCC remains unprofitable on a trailing basis and recorded a fiscal year net loss. Persistent negative margins reduce internal funding for growth, limit retained earnings accumulation, and mean the company must demonstrate consistent operating improvements to achieve durable profitability.
Weak cash generation
Negative and volatile operating and free cash flow constrain OCC’s ability to self‑fund working capital, capex, and strategic investments. Over several quarters this increases reliance on external financing, which can dilute returns, limit strategic flexibility, and pressure the balance sheet during demand troughs.
Seasonality & cost pressure
Documented seasonality and higher absolute SG&A spending create execution risk and margin volatility across quarters. Seasonal demand swings complicate capacity and sales planning, and rising operating expenses can erode improvements in gross margin unless revenue growth remains consistent and predictable.

Optical Cable (OCC) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Optical Cable Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionOptical Cable Corporation (OCC) is a leading manufacturer and provider of fiber optic cable and connectivity solutions, primarily serving the telecommunications, data center, and industrial markets. Founded in 1983, OCC specializes in high-performance fiber optic cables, copper cables, and related products that support the growing demand for high-speed data transmission and communications infrastructure. The company offers a range of products including cable assemblies, enclosures, and accessories designed to enhance network performance and reliability.
How the Company Makes MoneyOCC makes money primarily by selling manufactured communications cabling and connectivity products to customers and channel partners. Its revenue model is product-sales driven: (1) Fiber optic cable sales—selling various fiber optic cable constructions used in premises, enterprise, and industrial/network applications; (2) Copper communications cable sales—selling copper-based communications cabling used for data/telecommunications infrastructure; and (3) Connectivity and related products—selling associated connectivity hardware and cabling components that complement its cable offerings. Earnings are influenced by demand tied to network build-outs and upgrades (e.g., enterprise/campus infrastructure and data communications projects), product mix (fiber vs. copper and value-added connectivity), pricing and raw-material/input costs, manufacturing efficiency/capacity utilization, and the company’s ability to distribute through sales channels (including distributors/resellers and direct sales, where applicable). Specific material partnerships, customer concentration details, or contract structures: null.

Optical Cable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Revenue by Geography
Revenue by Geography
Breaks down revenue across different regions, revealing where the company is strongest and where it may face risk or growth potential due to local economic conditions or market share shifts.
Chart InsightsOptical Cable's U.S. revenue shows a recent recovery, with a notable uptick in Q3 2025, reflecting the company's overall 22.8% net sales growth. This aligns with strong enterprise and specialty market performance. Internationally, revenue has steadily increased, culminating in a significant rise by Q4 2024, likely supported by strategic initiatives like the Lightera collaboration. While SG&A expenses rose, they are offset by improved gross margins and net income, suggesting efficient cost management and potential for sustained growth, particularly in data center and enterprise sectors.
Data provided by:The Fly

Optical Cable Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Dec 18, 2025
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Jun 15, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call highlights several positive aspects such as increased net sales, gross profit growth, and strategic collaboration with Lightera. However, challenges remain, including a net loss for the fiscal year, a slight decline in Q4 gross profit, and increased SG&A expenses. The overall sentiment is balanced with optimism for future growth.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Net Sales Increase
Fiscal year 2025 saw a 9.5% increase in net sales, reaching $73 million compared to $66.7 million in fiscal year 2024.
Gross Profit Growth
Gross profit increased by 24.1%, reaching $22.6 million in fiscal year 2025. Gross profit margin improved to 30.9% from 27.3% in 2024.
Strategic Collaboration with Lightera
OCC entered a strategic collaboration with Lightera to expand product offerings, particularly in the data center and enterprise sectors. Lightera also invested in OCC, acquiring 7.24% of its outstanding shares.
Data Center Market Expansion
OCC is expanding its presence and product offerings for the data center market, targeting multi-tenant and enterprise data centers.
SG&A Efficiency
SG&A expenses as a percentage of net sales decreased to 31.4% in fiscal year 2025 from 32.2% in fiscal year 2024, indicating improved efficiency.
Negative Updates
Net Loss for Fiscal Year
OCC recorded a net loss of $1.5 million or $0.18 per share for fiscal year 2025, though this was an improvement from the $4.2 million loss in 2024.
Q4 Gross Profit Decline
Gross profit for Q4 2025 decreased slightly to $6.3 million compared to $6.5 million for the same period last year, with a gross profit margin decrease to 31.9% from 33.5% in Q4 2024.
SG&A Expenses Increase
SG&A expenses increased to $23 million in fiscal year 2025 from $21.5 million in 2024, primarily due to higher employee and sales personnel-related costs.
Seasonality Impact
OCC continues to experience seasonality impacts in its first and second quarters, affecting sales performance.
Company Guidance
During the Optical Cable Corporation's Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2025 Earnings Conference Call, guidance highlighted several key financial metrics and strategic initiatives that reflect the company's performance and future outlook. The company reported a 9.5% increase in net sales, reaching $73 million, with gross profit growing by 24.1% to $22.6 million. The gross profit margin improved to 30.9%, up from 27.3% in the previous year. SG&A expenses as a percentage of net sales decreased, contributing to improved operating leverage. The strategic collaboration with Lightera is expected to bolster future growth, particularly in the data center and enterprise sectors, as demand for cloud computing and AI accelerates. Despite recording a net loss of $1.5 million for the year, OCC remains optimistic about capturing new opportunities and expanding its market presence in fiscal year 2026 and beyond.

Optical Cable Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Mixed fundamentals: strong TTM revenue growth (~+94%) and improved leverage (debt-to-equity ~0.12) are positives, but profitability is still weak (slightly negative net margin, near break-even EBITDA margin) and cash generation is pressured with negative operating and free cash flow.
Income Statement
38
Negative
TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) revenue is up sharply versus the prior period (about +94%), but profitability remains weak: net margin is slightly negative (~-2%) and EBITDA margin is near break-even (~0.5%). The business has improved materially from the 2024 annual loss profile (deeper negative margins), but it has not yet returned to consistent profitability seen in the stronger 2023 annual period (positive net margin). Overall: strong top-line momentum, but earnings quality and margin durability are the key concern.
Balance Sheet
72
Positive
Leverage looks conservative in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) with low debt relative to equity (debt-to-equity ~0.12), a meaningful improvement versus recent annual levels (~0.53–0.62). Equity remains sizeable versus assets, providing balance-sheet cushion. The main weakness is returns: TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) return on equity is negative (driven by losses), highlighting that the capital base is not currently producing acceptable profitability despite the improved leverage profile.
Cash Flow
32
Negative
TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) cash generation is pressured: operating cash flow is slightly negative and free cash flow is negative, representing a deterioration from the 2025 annual period when both were positive. Cash flow has also been volatile across years (negative in several periods), which reduces confidence in self-funding operations. A positive offset is that free cash flow is less negative than net income in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), but the company still needs to re-establish consistently positive operating cash flow.
BreakdownTTMOct 2025Oct 2024Oct 2023Oct 2022Oct 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue73.73M73.04M66.67M72.17M69.08M59.14M
Gross Profit23.34M22.60M18.20M22.29M20.51M16.27M
EBITDA796.94K385.24K-2.16M4.31M469.89K-766.62K
Net Income-744.57K-1.45M-4.21M2.07M-347.00K6.61M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets38.77M40.06M40.36M43.88M40.56M37.92M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments125.87K237.51K244.25K1.47M216.00K132.00K
Total Debt2.56M11.54M12.95M11.00M10.53M8.32M
Total Liabilities17.67M18.49M19.52M19.16M18.40M15.71M
Stockholders Equity18.13M21.57M20.84M24.72M22.16M22.21M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-455.17K1.12M-1.23M-918.52K-1.89M1.92M
Operating Cash Flow-93.55K1.41M-857.02K-395.68K-1.59M2.12M
Investing Cash Flow-405.76K-317.20K-67.14K1.43M-292.46K-192.87K
Financing Cash Flow496.87K-1.10M-300.29K219.80K1.96M-1.93M

Optical Cable Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price8.51
Price Trends
50DMA
5.15
Positive
100DMA
6.48
Negative
200DMA
5.99
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.25
Positive
RSI
54.00
Neutral
STOCH
55.77
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For OCC, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 8.51 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 6.04, above the 50-day MA of 5.15, and above the 200-day MA of 5.99, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.25 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 54.00 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 55.77 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for OCC.

Optical Cable Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
61
Neutral
$37.18B12.37-10.20%1.83%8.50%-7.62%
50
Neutral
$49.38M-7.48-21.76%-1.53%55.08%
50
Neutral
$64.72M-106.24-21.04%93.47%37.19%
49
Neutral
$54.20M-43.52-7.11%9.55%65.17%
41
Neutral
$35.02M-0.35
* Technology Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
OCC
Optical Cable
6.11
2.75
81.85%
AIRG
Airgain
4.04
-0.31
-7.13%
CMBM
Cambium Networks
1.24
0.62
100.00%
AMPG
AmpliTech Group
2.57
1.06
70.20%
FKWL
Franklin Wireless
3.79
-2.48
-39.55%
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Mar 10, 2026