The score is primarily held back by weak financial performance—ongoing losses and negative/volatile cash flow despite strong recent revenue growth and improved leverage. Technicals are a meaningful positive with price above key moving averages and supportive momentum. Valuation remains constrained by negative earnings, while the earnings call adds moderate support via improving gross margin and growth initiatives, tempered by continued net losses and seasonality.
Positive Factors
Strong revenue momentum
A near-doubling of TTM revenue (~+94%) signals durable market traction across enterprise and data channels. Sustained top-line expansion supports scale economics, improves potential operating leverage, and creates runway to invest in higher-margin product lines and channel expansion over the next several quarters.
Conservative leverage and balance-sheet cushion
Very low debt-to-equity (~0.12) provides financial flexibility to fund working capital, product development, or targeted M&A without heavy refinancing risk. This conservative leverage profile reduces default risk and supports multi-quarter resilience while cash flows recover or investments are made into growth initiatives.
Strategic Lightera collaboration and data-center focus
Partnership and equity investment from Lightera aligns product roadmaps toward data center and enterprise segments, expanding total addressable market. Access to partner tech and capital can accelerate higher-margin product introductions and channel credibility over a multi-quarter horizon, structurally enhancing growth optionality.
Negative Factors
Negative and volatile cash generation
Operating and free cash flow being negative and volatile limits the company's ability to self-fund growth, working capital, and capital expenditures. Continued reliance on external financing or equity raises execution risk and could constrain durable investment into capacity for larger data-center contracts.
Ongoing net losses and weak profitability
Persisting net losses reduce retained earnings and hurt return on capital, limiting reinvestment. Until OCC delivers sustained positive margins, profitability constraints will impair the company’s ability to consistently fund growth, reward shareholders, and demonstrate durable unit economics in competitive cabling markets.
Margin pressure from rising SG&A and seasonality
Higher absolute SG&A and recurring seasonality make margins more sensitive to revenue swings. If top-line growth softens in seasonal quarters, fixed selling and personnel costs can quickly erode profitability, making margin improvement contingent on consistent demand rather than one-off revenue gains.
Optical Cable (OCC) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$64.82M
Dividend YieldN/A
Average Volume (3M)85.83K
Price to Earnings (P/E)―
Beta (1Y)1.07
Revenue Growth9.55%
EPS Growth65.17%
CountryUS
Employees339
SectorTechnology
Sector Strength88
IndustryCommunication Equipment
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)-0.05
Shares Outstanding8,831,598
10 Day Avg. Volume176,246
30 Day Avg. Volume85,835
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio0.65
Price to Book (P/B)2.94
Price to Sales (P/S)0.87
P/FCF Ratio56.61
Enterprise Value/Market Cap1.05
Enterprise Value/Revenue0.92
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit2.92
Enterprise Value/Ebitda68.10
Forecast
1Y Price TargetN/A
Price Target UpsideN/A
Rating ConsensusN/A
Number of Analyst Covering0
EPS Forecast (FY)0.27
Revenue Forecast (FY)N/A
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 revenue in the United States has shown a steady recovery since 2024, with a notable uptick in the last two quarters of 2025, indicating a potential resurgence in domestic demand. Meanwhile, international revenue has experienced significant growth, particularly in late 2024, suggesting successful expansion efforts outside the U.S. This dual growth trajectory highlights the company's balanced strategy of strengthening its domestic market while capitalizing on opportunities abroad, positioning it well for sustained future growth.
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
Revenue has accelerated sharply in the TTM period (~+94%), and leverage is conservative (debt-to-equity ~0.12), but profitability is still weak (slightly negative net margin, near break-even EBITDA margin). Cash generation is a key drag with negative operating and free cash flow and notable volatility, keeping overall financial quality below average despite balance-sheet improvement.
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.
Breakdown
TTM
Oct 2025
Oct 2024
Oct 2023
Oct 2022
Oct 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue
73.73M
73.04M
66.67M
72.17M
69.08M
59.14M
Gross Profit
23.34M
22.60M
18.20M
22.29M
20.51M
16.27M
EBITDA
1.00M
385.24K
-2.16M
4.31M
469.89K
-766.62K
Net Income
-744.57K
-1.45M
-4.21M
2.07M
-347.00K
6.61M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets
38.77M
40.06M
40.36M
43.88M
40.56M
37.92M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
125.87K
237.51K
244.25K
1.47M
216.00K
132.00K
Total Debt
8.98M
11.54M
12.95M
11.00M
10.53M
8.32M
Total Liabilities
17.67M
18.49M
19.52M
19.16M
18.40M
15.71M
Stockholders Equity
21.11M
21.57M
20.84M
24.72M
22.16M
22.21M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow
-455.17K
1.12M
-1.23M
-918.52K
-1.89M
1.92M
Operating Cash Flow
-93.55K
1.41M
-857.02K
-395.68K
-1.59M
2.12M
Investing Cash Flow
-405.76K
-317.20K
-67.14K
1.43M
-292.46K
-192.87K
Financing Cash Flow
496.87K
-1.10M
-300.29K
219.80K
1.96M
-1.93M
Optical Cable Technical Analysis
Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price8.51
Price Trends
50DMA
5.47
Positive
100DMA
6.40
Positive
200DMA
6.12
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.53
Negative
RSI
61.03
Neutral
STOCH
50.31
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 6.47, above the 50-day MA of 5.47, and above the 200-day MA of 6.12, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.53 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 61.03 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 50.31 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for OCC.
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 13, 2026