The score is held back primarily by weak financial performance (ongoing losses, negative margins, and uneven cash generation) and bearish technicals (below key moving averages with negative MACD). The latest earnings call provides a partial offset with improving revenue/margins and strategic partnership-driven growth initiatives, but valuation remains constrained by lack of profitability.
Positive Factors
Sustained Revenue Growth
Consistent top-line growth signals strengthening demand for OCC's fiber and connectivity products across telecom, data center, and industrial end markets. Higher sales provide scale that can support margin expansion, product investment, and distributor/OEM relationships over the next several quarters.
Improving Gross Margins
A material pickup in gross profit and margin points to better pricing, product mix or manufacturing efficiencies. Sustained gross margin improvement provides a structural buffer that helps absorb SG&A and supports progress toward profitability as volumes in data center and enterprise channels grow.
Strategic Lightera Partnership & Investment
A partnership plus equity backing from Lightera ties OCC to a larger industry player, facilitating joint product development and market access in data centers. The strategic alignment and capital endorsement can accelerate product adoption and create durable distribution and technology synergies.
Negative Factors
Ongoing Net Losses
Recurring net losses indicate the company has not yet converted revenue growth into sustainable profitability. Continued losses erode equity, constrain reinvestment capacity, and may limit the firm’s ability to fund growth initiatives without dilutive financing or reliance on partners.
Volatile and Weak Cash Generation
Inconsistent operating cash flow and volatile free cash flow reduce financial flexibility and raise refinancing risk. Weak cash conversion hampers capex and working capital funding, making long-term investments and scaling into larger data-center contracts more difficult without external capital.
Negative ROE and Margin Pressure
Negative ROE and persistent negative margins reflect challenges in generating returns from shareholder capital and operational inefficiencies. Without meaningful margin recovery or ROE improvement, the company may struggle to sustain growth while rewarding investors or financing expansion internally.
Optical Cable (OCC) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$43.73M
Dividend YieldN/A
Average Volume (3M)85.83K
Price to Earnings (P/E)―
Beta (1Y)1.27
Revenue Growth9.55%
EPS Growth65.17%
CountryUS
Employees339
SectorTechnology
Sector Strength88
IndustryCommunication Equipment
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)<0.01
Shares Outstanding8,870,070
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/Revenue0.63
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit2.02
Enterprise Value/Ebitda58.41
Forecast
1Y Price TargetN/A
Price Target UpsideN/A
Rating ConsensusN/A
Number of Analyst Covering0
EPS Forecast (FY)N/A
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 generates revenue primarily through the sales of its fiber optic and copper cable products, which are used in various applications such as telecommunications networks, data centers, and industrial environments. The company has established key revenue streams from both direct sales to end-users and through partnerships with distributors and OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). Additionally, OCC benefits from recurring revenue through the provision of maintenance and support services for its products. Significant partnerships with telecommunication companies, data center operators, and government agencies further bolster its earnings, as these entities require reliable and advanced connectivity solutions to support their operations.
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.
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 recent revenue growth, but persistent losses and negative EBIT/net margins point to weak profitability and operating efficiency. Balance sheet leverage is low, yet negative ROE and volatile/weak cash generation reduce confidence in earnings quality.
Income Statement
45
Neutral
Optical Cable's revenue has shown a positive growth trend in recent years, with a notable increase of 47.2% in the latest year. However, profitability remains a concern, as evidenced by negative net profit margins and EBIT margins. The company has struggled to maintain consistent profitability, with net income frequently in the red. Despite a decent gross profit margin, the negative EBIT and net profit margins highlight operational inefficiencies and cost management issues.
Balance Sheet
55
Neutral
The balance sheet shows a relatively low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12 in the latest year, indicating manageable leverage. However, the return on equity is negative, reflecting challenges in generating returns for shareholders. The equity ratio is stable, suggesting a solid capital structure, but the negative ROE points to inefficiencies in utilizing equity capital effectively.
Cash Flow
40
Negative
Cash flow analysis reveals volatility, with free cash flow growth showing significant fluctuations. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is low, indicating challenges in converting earnings into cash. While the free cash flow to net income ratio is relatively high, it is primarily due to negative net income, which skews the ratio. The company needs to improve its cash generation capabilities to support operations and growth.
Breakdown
TTM
Dec 2025
Dec 2024
Dec 2023
Dec 2022
Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue
72.69M
73.04M
66.67M
72.17M
69.08M
59.14M
Gross Profit
22.81M
22.60M
18.20M
22.29M
20.51M
16.27M
EBITDA
788.62K
385.24K
-2.16M
4.31M
469.89K
-766.62K
Net Income
-1.13M
-1.45M
-4.21M
2.07M
-347.00K
6.61M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets
40.17M
40.06M
40.36M
43.88M
40.56M
37.92M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
421.41K
237.51K
244.25K
1.47M
216.00K
132.00K
Total Debt
2.59M
2.57M
12.95M
11.00M
10.53M
8.32M
Total Liabilities
18.74M
18.49M
19.52M
19.16M
18.40M
15.71M
Stockholders Equity
21.43M
21.57M
20.84M
24.72M
22.16M
22.21M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow
-1.18M
1.12M
-1.23M
-918.52K
-1.89M
1.92M
Operating Cash Flow
-905.33K
1.41M
-857.02K
-395.68K
-1.59M
2.12M
Investing Cash Flow
-257.50K
-317.20K
-67.14K
1.43M
-292.46K
-192.87K
Financing Cash Flow
787.51K
-1.10M
-300.29K
219.80K
1.96M
-1.93M
Optical Cable Technical Analysis
Technical Analysis Sentiment
Neutral
Last Price8.51
Price Trends
50DMA
5.97
Negative
100DMA
7.18
Negative
200DMA
5.67
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.20
Negative
RSI
48.61
Neutral
STOCH
38.36
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For OCC, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 8.51 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 4.53, above the 50-day MA of 5.97, and above the 200-day MA of 5.67, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.20 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 48.61 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 38.36 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral 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: Jan 28, 2026