OPTICAL CABLE CORP
10-Q, 1998-09-14
DRAWING & INSULATING OF NONFERROUS WIRE
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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 10-Q

             [ X ] QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
                   OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                  For the quarterly period ended July 31, 1998

                                       OR

            [  ]  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
                  OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

         For the transition period from _____________ to ______________

                         Commission file number 0-27022

                            OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                  VIRGINIA                                      54-1237042
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation                (I.R.S. Employer
           or organization)                                  Identification No.)


                              5290 CONCOURSE DRIVE
                             ROANOKE, VIRGINIA 24019
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

                                 (540) 265-0690
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                       N/A
              (Former name, former address and former fiscal year,
                          if changed since last report)

       Indicate by check mark whether the  registrant  (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934  during  the  preceding  12 months  (or for such  shorter  period  that the
registrant was required to file such reports),  and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days. (1) Yes X No__   (2) Yes X No__

       As of September 8, 1998,  38,018,636  shares of the  registrant's  Common
Stock, no par value, were outstanding.  Of these outstanding shares,  36,000,000
shares were held by Robert Kopstein,  Chairman of the Board, President and Chief
Executive Officer of the registrant.
<PAGE>
                           OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
                                Form 10-Q Index
                        Nine Months Ended July 31, 1998
                                                                            PAGE
                                                                            ----
PART I.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION

         ITEM 1.    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                    Condensed Balance Sheets - July 31, 1998 and
                      October 31, 1997........................................2

                    Condensed Statements of Income - Three Months
                      and Nine Months Ended July 31, 1998 and 1997............3

                    Condensed Statement of Changes in Stockholders'
                      Equity - Nine Months Ended July 31, 1998................4

                    Condensed Statements of Cash Flows - Nine Months
                      Ended July 31, 1998 and 1997............................5

                    Condensed Notes to Condensed Financial Statements.......6-8

         ITEM 2.    MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS
                      OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION................9-13

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

         ITEM 6.    EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K..........................14

SIGNATURES....................................................................15

INDEX TO EXHIBITS.............................................................16

<PAGE>



                          PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                            OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
                            CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
                                   (UNAUDITED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          JULY 31,        OCTOBER 31,
                             ASSETS                                         1998             1997
                                                                            ----             ----
<S>                                                                   <C>                <C>           
Current assets:
     Cash and cash equivalents                                        $       396,092    $      985,807
     Trade accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful
        accounts of $325,000 at July 31, 1998 and $307,400
        at October 31, 1997                                                10,737,743         9,931,276
     Other receivables                                                        156,803           540,102
     Due from employees                                                         6,139             3,534
     Inventories                                                           12,021,517        12,019,443
     Prepaid expenses                                                         153,455           121,046
     Deferred income taxes                                                    218,626            81,484
                                                                      ---------------   ---------------
            Total current assets                                           23,690,375        23,682,692

Other assets, net                                                              38,200            50,953
Property and equipment, net                                                11,252,311        11,480,433
                                                                      ---------------   ---------------
            Total assets                                              $    34,980,886   $    35,214,078
                                                                      ===============   ===============
            LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current liabilities:
     Notes payable                                                    $       405,000   $             -
     Accounts payable and accrued expenses                                  3,219,070         2,593,256
     Accrued compensation and payroll taxes                                   553,896           612,736
     Income taxes payable                                                     334,549           564,999
                                                                      ---------------   ---------------
            Total current liabilities                                       4,512,515         3,770,991
Deferred income taxes                                                         150,071            64,382
                                                                      ---------------   ---------------
            Total liabilities                                               4,662,586         3,835,373
                                                                      ---------------   ---------------
Stockholders' equity:
     Preferred stock, no par value, authorized 1,000,000 shares;
        none issued and outstanding                                                 -                 -
     Common stock; no par value, authorized 100,000,000 shares;
        issued and outstanding 38,104,936 shares at July 31,
        1998 and 38,675,416 shares at October 31, 1997                     12,006,917        18,594,116
     Retained earnings                                                     18,311,383        12,784,589
                                                                      ---------------   ---------------
            Total stockholders' equity                                     30,318,300        31,378,705
Commitments and contingencies
                                                                      ---------------   ---------------
            Total liabilities and stockholders' equity                $    34,980,886   $    35,214,078
                                                                      ===============   ===============
                                                                               
</TABLE>
      See accompanying condensed notes to condensed financial statements.

                                       2
<PAGE>


                            OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
                         CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                                   (Unaudited)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             THREE MONTHS ENDED           NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                                                  JULY 31,                    JULY 31,
                                                       -----------------------------   --------------------------
                                                           1998         1997              1998           1997
                                                           ----         ----              ----           ----

<S>                                                   <C>            <C>          <C>              <C>       
Net sales                                             $  13,727,433  $14,285,834     $  37,289,648  $ 37,422,716
Cost of goods sold                                        8,056,752    8,669,025        21,473,444    22,161,654
                                                      -------------  -----------     -------------  ------------
        Gross profit                                      5,670,681    5,616,809        15,816,204    15,261,062

Selling, general and administrative expenses              2,602,800    2,516,972         7,330,234     6,914,034
                                                      -------------  -----------     -------------  ------------
        Income from operations                            3,067,881    3,099,837         8,485,970     8,347,028

Other income (expense):
    Interest income                                           6,185        4,313            46,749        13,382
    Interest expense                                           (122)      (1,078)             (317)      (12,176)
    Other, net                                               (1,167)        (227)           (4,311)       (5,713)
                                                      -------------  -----------      -------------  ------------
        Other income (expense), net                           4,896        3,008            42,121        (4,507)
                                                      -------------  -----------      -------------  ------------
        Income before income tax expense                  3,072,777    3,102,845         8,528,091     8,342,521

Income tax expense                                        1,081,403    1,086,162         3,001,297     2,932,954
                                                      -------------  -----------      -------------  ------------
        Net income                                    $   1,991,374  $ 2,016,683     $   5,526,794  $  5,409,567
                                                      =============  ===========      =============  ============
Earnings per share (note 5):
    Earnings per common share                         $       0.052  $     0.052     $       0.144  $      0.140
                                                      =============  ===========      =============  ============
    Earnings per common share -
        assuming dilution                             $       0.052   $    0.052     $       0.143   $     0.139
                                                      =============  ===========      =============  ============
</TABLE>

       See accompanying condensed notes to condensed financial statements.


                                       3
<PAGE>



                            OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
             CONDENSED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
                                   (UNAUDITED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        NINE MONTHS ENDED JULY 31, 1998
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Common Stock                                     Total
                                    -------------------------------       Retained         Stockholders'
                                      Shares             Amount           Earnings            Equity
                                      ------             ------           --------            ------

<S>                                  <C>           <C>               <C>                <C>           
Balances at October 31, 1997          38,675,416    $   18,594,116    $    12,784,589    $   31,378,705

Net income                                     -                 -          5,526,794         5,526,794
Repurchase of common stock              (648,330)       (6,781,824)                 -        (6,781,824)
Stock options exercised                   77,850           194,625                  -           194,625
                                      ----------    --------------    ---------------    --------------
Balances at July 31, 1998             38,104,936    $   12,006,917    $    18,311,383    $   30,318,300
                                      ==========    ==============    ===============    ==============
</TABLE>



       See accompanying condensed notes to condensed financial statements.


                                       4
<PAGE>



                            OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
                       CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                   (UNAUDITED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                                                                      JULY 31,
                                                                           -----------------------------
                                                                               1998            1997
                                                                               ----            ----
<S>                                                                      <C>               <C>         
Cash flows from operating activities:
     Net income                                                          $    5,526,794    $  5,409,567
     Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by
        operating activities:
            Depreciation and amortization                                       576,989         532,200
            Bad debt expense                                                     45,402           4,868
            Deferred income taxes                                               (51,453)        (18,512)
            (Increase) decrease in:
               Trade accounts receivable                                       (851,869)       (967,040)
               Other receivables                                                383,299         (61,095)
               Due from employees                                                (2,605)         (3,200)
               Inventories                                                       (2,074)     (1,869,803)
               Prepaid expenses                                                 (32,409)        (64,693)
            Increase (decrease) in:
               Accounts payable and accrued expenses                            852,204        (806,478)
               Accrued compensation and payroll taxes                           (58,840)        (72,261)
               Income taxes payable                                            (230,450)        183,720
                                                                         --------------    ------------
                    Net cash provided by operating activities                 6,154,988       2,267,273
                                                                         --------------    ------------
Cash flows from investing activities:
     Purchase of property and equipment                                        (562,504)     (3,427,458)
                                                                         --------------    ------------
                    Net cash used in investing activities                      (562,504)     (3,427,458)
                                                                         --------------    ------------
Cash flows from financing activities:
     Net change in notes payable                                                405,000        (182,000)
     Repurchase of common stock                                              (6,781,824)              -
     Proceeds from exercise of stock options                                    194,625               -
                                                                         --------------    ------------
                    Net cash used in financing activities                    (6,182,199)       (182,000)
                                                                         --------------    ------------
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents                                      (589,715)     (1,342,185)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period                                985,807       1,677,739
                                                                         --------------    ------------

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period                               $      396,092    $    335,554
                                                                         ==============    ============
</TABLE>

       See accompanying condensed notes to condensed financial statements.


                                       5
<PAGE>
                           OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
                CONDENSED NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                         NINE MONTHS ENDED JULY 31, 1998
                                   (Unaudited)

(1)      GENERAL

         The accompanying  unaudited  condensed  financial  statements have been
         prepared in accordance with generally  accepted  accounting  principles
         for interim  financial  reporting  information and the  instructions to
         Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation  S-X.  Accordingly,  they do not
         include all of the information and notes required by generally accepted
         accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion
         of management, all material adjustments (consisting of normal recurring
         accruals)  considered  necessary  for a  fair  presentation  have  been
         included. Operating results for the nine months ended July 31, 1998 are
         not necessarily  indicative of the results that may be expected for the
         fiscal year ending October 31, 1998. The unaudited  condensed financial
         statements and condensed  notes are presented as permitted by Form 10-Q
         and do not contain certain information included in the Company's annual
         financial statements and notes. For further  information,  refer to the
         financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's annual
         report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 1997.

(2)      INVENTORIES

         Inventories  at July 31,  1998 and  October  31,  1997  consist  of the
         following:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       JULY 31,           OCTOBER 31,
                                                         1998                 1997
                                                         ----                 ----
<S>                                                <C>                 <C>             
         Finished goods                            $     4,000,307     $      4,854,697
         Work in process                                 2,194,230            1,976,970
         Raw materials                                   5,775,498            5,125,044
         Production supplies                                51,482               62,732
                                                   ---------------     ----------------
                                                   $    12,021,517     $     12,019,443
                                                   ===============     ================
</TABLE>
         
(3)      NOTES PAYABLE

         On  February  25,  1998,  the  Company  and its  bank  executed  a loan
         commitment letter,  which renewed its $5 million secured revolving line
         of credit available for general corporate  purposes and its $10 million
         secured line of credit to fund potential acquisitions, mergers or joint
         ventures.  The lines of credit bear  interest at 1.50 percent above the
         monthly LIBOR rate and are equally

                                                                     (CONTINUED)


                                       6

<PAGE>
                            OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
                CONDENSED NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                   (Unaudited)

(3)      (CONTINUED)

         and ratably  secured by the  Company's  accounts  receivable,  contract
         rights, inventory,  furniture and fixtures, machinery and equipment and
         general  intangibles.  The lines of credit will expire on February  28,
         1999, unless renewed or extended.

(4)      STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

         The Company's Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of up to
         $10  million of the  Company's  common  stock in the open  market or in
         privately  negotiated  transactions.  During the nine months ended July
         31, 1998,  the Company  repurchased  648,330 shares of its common stock
         for $6,781,824.

         Subsequent to July 31, 1998 and through  September 8, 1998, the Company
         repurchased  86,300 additional shares of its common stock in connection
         with its share repurchase program.

         On March 10, 1998, the Company's  stockholders approved an amendment to
         the Company's articles of incorporation to increase the total number of
         authorized  shares of common  stock of the Company from  50,000,000  to
         100,000,000.

(5)      EARNINGS PER SHARE

         In February  1997,  the  Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board issued
         Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 128, EARNINGS PER SHARE
         (SFAS No. 128).  SFAS No. 128  establishes  new standards for computing
         and  presenting  earnings per share (EPS) and applies to entities  with
         publicly held common stock or potential  common stock.  It replaces the
         presentation  of primary EPS with a presentation  of basic EPS. It also
         requires dual  presentation of basic and diluted EPS on the face of the
         income  statement for all entities with complex capital  structures and
         requires a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator of the basic
         EPS  computation  to the numerator and  denominator  of the diluted EPS
         computation.

         Basic  EPS  excludes  dilution  and  is  computed  by  dividing  income
         available  to common  stockholders  by the  weighted-average  number of
         common  shares  outstanding  for the period.  Diluted EPS  reflects the
         potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to
         issue  common stock were  exercised  or converted  into common stock or
         resulted  in the  issuance  of common  stock  that  then  shared in the
         earnings of the entity.

                                                                     (CONTINUED)


                                       7

<PAGE>
                         OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
                CONDENSED NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                   (Unaudited)

(5)      (CONTINUED)

         SFAS No. 128 was  required  to be adopted by the Company at January 31,
         1998. SFAS No. 128 also requires  restatement of all  prior-period  EPS
         data previously  presented.  The following is a  reconciliation  of the
         numerators and  denominators of the basic and diluted EPS  computations
         for the periods presented:


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          Net Income          Shares            Per Share
THREE MONTHS ENDED JULY 31, 1998                         (Numerator)       (Denominator)         Amount
- --------------------------------                         -------------     -------------       ------------
<S>                                                   <C>                    <C>             <C>              
Earnings per common share                             $     1,991,374        38,208,593      $           0.052
                                                                                             =================
Effect of dilutive stock options                                    -           258,690
                                                      ---------------        ----------
Earnings per common share - assuming dilution         $     1,991,374        38,467,283      $           0.052
                                                      ===============        ==========      =================

THREE MONTHS ENDED JULY 31, 1997
- --------------------------------
Earnings per common share                             $     2,016,683        38,675,416     $           0.052
                                                                                             =================
Effect of dilutive stock options                                    -           327,234
                                                      ---------------        ----------
Earnings per common share - assuming dilution         $     2,016,683        39,002,650      $           0.052
                                                      ===============        ==========      =================

NINE MONTHS ENDED JULY 31, 1998
- --------------------------------
Earnings per common share                             $     5,526,794        38,388,822      $           0.144
                                                                                             =================
Effect of dilutive stock options                                    -           289,737
                                                      ---------------        ----------
Earnings per common share - assuming dilution         $     5,526,794        38,678,559      $           0.143
                                                      ===============        ==========      =================

NINE MONTHS ENDED JULY 31, 1997
- --------------------------------
Earnings per common share                             $     5,409,567        38,675,416      $           0.140
                                                                                             =================
Effect of dilutive stock options                                    -           357,792
                                                      ---------------        ----------
Earnings per common share - assuming dilution         $     5,409,567        39,033,208      $           0.139
                                                      ===============        ==========      =================
</TABLE>

         Stock  options  that could  potentially  dilute basic EPS in the future
         that were not included in the  computation of diluted EPS because to do
         so would have been  antidilutive  totaled  229,500 for the three months
         and nine months ended July 31, 1998.




                                       8

<PAGE>
ITEM 2.  MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
         AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

THREE MONTHS ENDED JULY 31, 1998 AND 1997

Net Sales

Net sales  consists  of gross sales of  products,  less  discounts,  refunds and
returns.  Net sales decreased 3.9 percent to $13.7 million in third quarter 1998
from $14.3  million for the same period in 1997.  This  decrease  was  primarily
attributable to weather  conditions and delays in large  projects,  as well as a
reallocation  of  capital   spending  by  the  Company's   customers  away  from
communications expenditures towards Year 2000 projects.

Gross Profit Margin

Cost of goods sold  consists of the cost of  materials,  compensation  costs and
overhead related to the Company's manufacturing operations.  The Company's gross
profit  margin  (gross  profit as a percentage  of net sales)  increased to 41.3
percent in third  quarter 1998 from 39.3  percent in third  quarter  1997.  This
increase was due to reduced raw fiber prices, the Company's product mix sold and
the ratio of net sales  attributable  to the Company's  distributors  during the
period.   During  third  quarter  1998,   sales  from  orders  $50,000  or  more
approximated  18 percent  compared  to 21 percent  for third  quarter  1997.  In
addition,  during third quarter 1998, net sales to distributors  approximated 64
percent versus 51 percent for the same period in 1997. Discounts on large orders
and on  sales to  distributors  are  generally  greater  than  for  sales to the
Company's other customer base.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling,  general and administrative  expenses consist of the compensation costs
(including  sales  commissions)  for  sales  and  marketing  personnel,   travel
expenses,  customer  support  expenses,  trade show expenses,  advertising,  the
compensation cost for administration,  finance and general management personnel,
as well as legal  and  accounting  fees.  Selling,  general  and  administrative
expenses as a percentage  of net sales were 19.0  percent in third  quarter 1998
compared to 17.6  percent in third  quarter  1997.  This higher  percentage  was
primarily the result of the fact that net sales for third quarter 1998 decreased
3.9  percent  compared  to  third  quarter  1997,  while  selling,  general  and
administrative expenses increased 3.4 percent.

Income Before Income Tax Expense

Income before income tax expense of $3.1 million for the three months ended July
31,  1998 was  comparable  to the three  months  ended July 31,  1997.  This was
primarily  due to the  increased  gross profit  margin,  offset by decreased net
sales and increased selling, general and administrative expenses.

Income Tax Expense

Income tax expense of $1.1  million for the three months ended July 31, 1998 was
comparable to the same period in 1997. The Company's effective tax rate was 35.2
percent during the three months ended July 31, 1998 compared to 35.0 percent for
the same period in 1997.
                                        9

<PAGE>
Net Income

Net income for third  quarter 1998 of $2.0 million was  comparable  to the third
quarter 1997.

NINE MONTHS ENDED JULY 31, 1998 AND 1997

Net Sales

Net sales  consists  of gross sales of  products,  less  discounts,  refunds and
returns. Net sales decreased slightly to $37.3 million for the nine months ended
July 31,  1998 from  $37.4  million  for the same  period in 1997.  This  slight
decrease  was  attributable  to the 3.9  percent  decrease in net sales in third
quarter 1998 compared to the same period in 1997 as described above, and the 4.9
percent  decrease  in net  sales  in  first  quarter  1998  attributable  to the
completion  of shipments  for a large  international  military  project in first
quarter 1997 and the delay of large  potential  orders in first quarter 1998 due
to adverse weather conditions or economic uncertainty, offset by the 9.8 percent
increase in net sales in second quarter 1998 compared to the same period in 1997
attributable to an increase of approximately  22 percent in international  sales
over the second quarter of 1997.

Gross Profit Margin

Cost of goods sold  consists of the cost of  materials,  compensation  costs and
overhead related to the Company's manufacturing operations.  The Company's gross
profit  margin  (gross  profit as a percentage  of net sales)  increased to 42.4
percent for the nine months  ended July 31, 1998 from 40.8  percent for the nine
months ended July 31, 1997.  This  increase was due to reduced raw fiber prices,
the Company's  product mix sold and the ratio of net sales  attributable  to the
Company's  distributors during the period. During the nine months ended July 31,
1998,  sales from orders $50,000 or more  approximated 18 percent compared to 21
percent for the nine  months  ended July 31,  1997.  In  addition,  for the nine
months ended July 31, 1998, net sales to  distributors  approximated  57 percent
which was  comparable to the same period in 1997.  Discounts on large orders and
on sales to distributors  are generally  greater than for sales to the Company's
other customer base.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling,  general and administrative  expenses consist of the compensation costs
(including  sales  commissions)  for  sales  and  marketing  personnel,   travel
expenses,  customer  support  expenses,  trade show expenses,  advertising,  the
compensation cost for administration,  finance and general management personnel,
as well as legal  and  accounting  fees.  Selling,  general  and  administrative
expenses  as a  percentage  of net sales were 19.7  percent  for the nine months
ended July 31, 1998  compared to 18.5 percent for the nine months ended July 31,
1997. This higher percentage was primarily the result of the fact that net sales
for the nine months ended July 31, 1998 decreased  slightly compared to the same
period in 1997, while selling, general and administrative expenses increased 6.0
percent due to increased selling efforts.

Income Before Income Tax Expense

Income before  income tax expense  increased 2.2 percent to $8.5 million for the
nine  months  ended July 31, 1998  compared to $8.3  million for the nine months
ended July 31,  1997.  This was  primarily  due to the  increased  gross  profit
margin, offset by increased selling, general and administrative expenses.

                                       10
<PAGE>
Income Tax Expense

Income tax expense  increased  2.3  percent to $3.0  million for the nine months
ended July 31, 1998  compared to $2.9 million for the same period in 1997 due to
the increase in income  before income tax expense.  The Company's  effective tax
rate was 35.2 percent during both the nine months ended July 31, 1998 and 1997.

Net Income

Net income for the nine months ended July 31, 1998 was $5.5 million  compared to
$5.4  million for the nine months  ended July 31,  1997.  Despite an increase in
income tax expense of $68,000, net income increased $117,000 due to the $185,000
increase in income before income tax expense.

FINANCIAL CONDITION

Total assets at July 31, 1998 were $35.0 million, a decrease of $233,000, or 0.7
percent from October 31, 1997. This decrease was primarily due to an increase of
$806,000 in trade  accounts  receivable,  offset by  decreases  in cash and cash
equivalents of $590,000 and other receivables of $383,000.

Total  stockholders'  equity at July 31, 1998  decreased  $1.1  million,  or 3.4
percent from October 31, 1997 with net income retained, offset by the repurchase
of common stock in the amount of $6.8 million accounting for the decrease.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

During  the first  nine  months of fiscal  years  1998 and 1997,  the  Company's
primary capital needs have been to fund working capital requirements and capital
expenditures as needed.  The Company's primary source of financing has been cash
provided from  operations.  The Company  maintains  bank lines of credit and had
$405,000  outstanding  under one of the lines as of the end of the third quarter
of fiscal year 1998.  There were no balances  outstanding  under the lines as of
the end of fiscal year 1997.

On  February  25,  1998,  the Company  and its bank  executed a loan  commitment
letter,  which renewed its $5 million secured revolving line of credit available
for general  corporate  purposes  and its $10 million  secured line of credit to
fund potential acquisitions,  mergers or joint ventures. The lines of credit are
equally and  ratably  secured by the  Company's  accounts  receivable,  contract
rights, inventory,  furniture and fixtures,  machinery and equipment and general
intangibles.  The lines of credit  will  expire on  February  28,  1999,  unless
renewed or  extended.  As of the date  hereof,  the  Company  has no  additional
material  sources of  financing.  The Company  believes  that its cash flow from
operations and available lines of credit will be adequate to fund its operations
for at least the next twelve months.

On October 29, 1997, the Company's Board of Directors  authorized the repurchase
of up to $5  million  of the  Company's  common  stock in the open  market or in
privately  negotiated  transactions.  On April 7, 1998,  the Company's  Board of
Directors  expanded the Company's  share  repurchase  program by authorizing the
repurchase of an aggregate of up to $10 million of the  Company's  common stock.
Through July 31, 1998, the Company has repurchased approximately $6.8 million of
the Company's common stock.  The repurchases were funded primarily  through cash
flows from  operating  activities.  The  Company  intends to use excess  working
capital  and other  sources  as  appropriate  to  finance  the  remaining  share
repurchase program.

                                       11
<PAGE>
Cash flows from operations were  approximately $6.2 million and $2.3 million for
the nine  months  ended July 31,  1998 and 1997,  respectively.  Cash flows from
operations  for the nine months ended July 31, 1998 were  primarily  provided by
operating  income and an increase in  accounts  payable and accrued  expenses of
$852,000,  offset by an increase in trade  accounts  receivable  of $852,000 and
income taxes paid of $3.3 million. For the nine months ended July 31, 1997, cash
flows from operations were primarily provided by operating income,  offset by an
increase in trade accounts  receivable of $967,000,  an increase in inventory of
$1.9 million,  a decrease in accounts  payable and accrued  expenses of $806,000
and income taxes paid of $2.8 million.

Net cash used in investing activities was for expenditures related to facilities
and  equipment  and was $563,000 and $3.4 million for the nine months ended July
31, 1998 and 1997,  respectively.  The Company's  expansion of its  headquarters
facilities  was  substantially  completed as of January 31, 1997. As of July 31,
1998, there were no material commitments for additional capital expenditures.

Net cash used in financing activities was $6.2 million and $182,000 for the nine
months  ended  July  31,  1998 and  1997,  respectively.  The net  cash  used in
financing   activities  for  the  nine  months  ended  July  31,  1998  included
approximately  $6.8 million  related to the  Company's  common stock  repurchase
program,  offset by  proceeds  from  exercise of stock  options of $195,000  and
borrowings under the Company's line of credit of $405,000.  The net cash used in
financing  activities  for the nine  months  ended July 31,  1997  consisted  of
repayment of debt outstanding under the Company's line of credit of $182,000.

DERIVATIVES

The Company does not use derivatives or off-balance  sheet  instruments  such as
future contracts, forward obligations, interest rate swaps, or option contracts.

YEAR 2000

The "Year 2000" problem will affect many computers and other electronic  devices
that are not  programmed  to  properly  recognize  a year that  begins with "20"
instead of "19." Some devices may recognize dates on or after January 1, 2000 as
a date during the 1900s, or may not recognize the date at all. If not corrected,
many devices could fail or create erroneous results.

Since 1997, the Company has been actively assessing,  planning and responding to
the risks to the Company  created by the Year 2000  problem.  In  assessing  the
risks, the Company has focused on both (i) its internal  information  technology
("IT") and non-IT systems,  including, but not limited to, computer hardware and
software,  manufacturing  equipment,  printers,  facsimile  machines,  and other
control and accounting devices,  and (ii) its interfaces with third parties with
which the Company has material relationships,  such as suppliers,  customers and
financial institutions.

The Company has completed its assessment  and response  planning with respect to
its internal IT and non-IT systems.  Additionally, the Company has substantially
completed necessary remediation measures with respect to those internal systems.
The Company's  remediation has included  updating various computer  hardware and
software and printers to be Year 2000 compliant. The Company has also determined
that the Year  2000  problem  will not have a  material  adverse  affect  on its
manufacturing machinery. To date, the Company has expended less than $100,000 on
its  remediation  measures and believes  future  remediation  expenditures  with
respect to its  internal  systems to be less than  $50,000.  With respect to the
Company's  internal  systems,  the Company believes it will complete its planned
remediation  and any  testing in time to ensure the Year 2000  problem  will not
have a material adverse affect on the Company or its business.  The Company does
not believe  contingency  plans are necessary  for its internal  systems at this
time.

                                       12
<PAGE>
The Company is still in the process of  assessing,  planning and  responding  to
potential  Year 2000 problems  which may arise from failures of third parties to
be Year  2000  compliant.  To date,  the  Company  has sent  questionnaires  and
reviewed responses from some of its major suppliers. At present, the Company has
not been made aware of any Year 2000 issues of third  parties  that are expected
to have a material adverse effect on the Company.  The process of evaluating the
Company's  third  party risk is  expected  to be  ongoing  and at this point the
Company  cannot  determine  the level of Year 2000 risk  associated  with  third
parties.

The Company is still in the process of  evaluating  the  potential  effects of a
worst-case scenario.  While the Company believes that it is taking the necessary
steps to  resolve  its Year  2000  issues  in a timely  manner,  there can be no
assurance  that the Company  will not have any Year 2000  problems.  If any such
problems occur,  the Company will work to solve them as quickly as possible.  At
present, the Company does not expect that such problems related to the Company's
internal  IT and  non-IT  systems  will have a  material  adverse  affect on its
business. The failure, however, of one or more of the Company's major suppliers,
customers  or  financial  institutions  to be Year 2000  compliant  could have a
material adverse effect on the Company.

NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

There have been no accounting pronouncements issued during the period that would
have a material  effect on the  financial  position,  results of  operations  or
liquidity of the Company.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This Form 10-Q may  contain  certain  "forward-looking"  information  within the
meaning of the federal  securities  laws. The  forward-looking  information  may
include,  among other  information,  (i)  statements  concerning  the  Company's
outlook  for  the  future,  (ii)  statements  of  belief,  (iii)  future  plans,
strategies or anticipated  events,  and (iv) similar  information and statements
concerning   matters  that  are  not  historical  facts.  Such   forward-looking
information is subject to risks and  uncertainties  that may cause actual events
to differ  materially from the  expectations of the Company.  Factors that could
cause or contribute  to such  differences  include,  but are not limited to, the
level of sales to key customers,  actions by  competitors,  fluctuations  in the
price of raw materials  (including optical fiber), the Company's dependence on a
single  manufacturing  facility,  the  ability of the  Company  to  protect  its
proprietary  manufacturing  technology,  the  Company's  dependence on a limited
number of suppliers,  technological  changes and  introductions of new competing
products,  and market and economic conditions in the areas of the world in which
the Company operates or markets its products.

                                       13
<PAGE>
                           PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 6.     EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

            (a)   Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K for the nine
                  months ended July 31, 1998.

                   Exhibit No.             Description
                   -----------             -----------

                     10.9            Optical Cable Corporation
                                     Employee Stock Purchase Plan

                      27             Financial Data Schedule

            (b) Reports on Form 8-K filed during the three months ended July 31,
                1998.

                  None.








                                       14


<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                   OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
                                          (Registrant)


Date:  September 10, 1998          /s/Robert Kopstein
                                   ---------------------------------------
                                   Robert Kopstein
                                   Chairman of the Board, President and
                                   Chief Executive Officer





Date:  September 10, 1998          /s/Kenneth W. Harber
                                   ---------------------------------------
                                   Kenneth W. Harber
                                   Vice President of Finance, Treasurer
                                      and Secretary
                                   (principal financial and accounting officer)










                                       15
<PAGE>

                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

                     Exhibit No.           Description
                     -----------           -----------

                       10.9             Optical Cable Corporation
                                        Employee Stock Purchase Plan

                       27               Financial Data Schedule





                                       16






                            OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION

                          EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                                FEBRUARY 23, 1998



<PAGE>



                            OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
                          EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

     Optical Cable Corporation hereby establishes,  effective February 23, 1998,
the Optical Cable  Corporation  Employee  Stock Purchase Plan for the benefit of
eligible employees of the Company and any future subsidiaries of the Company.




<PAGE>



                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                    ARTICLE I

                                   DEFINITIONS

1.1      "Administrator".......................................................1
1.2      "Authorized Leave of Absence".........................................1
1.3      "CEO".................................................................1
1.4      "Committee"...........................................................1
1.5      "Committee Representative"............................................1
1.6      "Company".............................................................1
1.7      "Company Stock".......................................................1
1.8      "Compensation"........................................................1
1.9      "Contributions".......................................................1
1.10     "Contribution Amount".................................................1
1.11     "Contribution Election"...............................................2
1.12     "Effective Date"......................................................2
1.13     "Employee"............................................................2
1.14     "Fair Market Value"...................................................2
1.15     "Investment Direction"................................................2
1.16     "Notice Date".........................................................2
1.17     "Participant".........................................................2
1.18     "Plan"................................................................2
1.19     "Plan Account"........................................................2
1.20     "Settlement Date".....................................................2
1.21     "Spouse"..............................................................3
1.22     "Termination of Employment"...........................................3
1.23     "Trade Date"..........................................................3
1.24     "Transfer Date".......................................................3


                                   ARTICLE II

                                  PARTICIPATION

2.1      Eligibility...........................................................3
2.2      Participation.........................................................3
2.3      Plan Account.  .......................................................3
2.4      Suspension of Participation...........................................3

                                   ARTICLE III

                            PARTICIPANT CONTRIBUTIONS

3.1      Contribution Election.................................................4



<PAGE>



3.2      Contribution Election Procedures......................................4
3.3      Transfers to Administrator............................................5
3.4      Notification of Administrator.........................................5

                                   ARTICLE IV

                  ADMINISTRATION OF PARTICIPANTS' PLAN ACCOUNTS

4.1      Plan Account Maintenance..............................................5
4.2      Trade Date............................................................5
4.3      Fees and Expenses.....................................................5
4.4      Voting................................................................5

                                    ARTICLE V

                              INVESTMENT DIRECTIONS

5.1      Purchase of Shares....................................................6
5.2      Reinvestment of Dividends.............................................6
5.3      Withdrawals by Participants...........................................6
5.4      Investment Direction Processing.......................................7

                                   ARTICLE VI

           DISTRIBUTION OF PLAN ACCOUNTS ON TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT

6.1      Notification of Administrator.........................................7
6.2      Investment Direction..................................................7
6.3      Death of Participant..................................................7
6.4      Failure or Inability to Provide an Investment Direction...............8

                                   ARTICLE VII

                                THE ADMINISTRATOR

7.1      Selection of Administrator............................................8
7.2      Administrator's Duties................................................8
7.3      Statements............................................................8

                                  ARTICLE VIII

                              CEO AND THE COMMITTEE

8.1      Authority and Responsibility of the CEO...............................8
8.2      Committee Membership..................................................8
8.3      Committee Structure...................................................9
8.4      Committee Actions.....................................................9
8.5      Compensation..........................................................9



<PAGE>



8.6      Responsibility and Authority of the Committee.........................9
8.7      Information to be Supplied by the Company.............................9
8.8      Committee Decisions Final............................................10

                          ARTICLE IX

                   AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

9.1      Amendments...........................................................10
9.2      Plan Termination.....................................................10

                           ARTICLE X

                   MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

10.1     No Assignment of Plan Account........................................10
10.2     Plan Does Not Affect Employment Rights...............................11
10.3     Deduction of Taxes from Amounts Payable..............................11
10.4     Source of Benefits...................................................11
10.5     Indemnification......................................................11
10.6     Limitation on Liability..............................................11
10.7     Gender and Number....................................................11
10.8     Invalidity of Certain Provisions.....................................11
10.9     Headings.............................................................12
10.10    Law Governing........................................................12




<PAGE>



                            OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
                          EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                                    ARTICLE I

                                   DEFINITIONS

     The following sections of this Article I provide basic definitions of terms
used throughout the Plan, and whenever used herein in a capitalized form, except
as otherwise expressly provided, the terms shall be deemed to have the following
meanings:

     1.1  "Administrator"  means the Company's agent for  administering the Plan
which is A. G.  Edwards  & Sons,  Inc.  or such  other  successor  Administrator
appointed by the Committee from time to time.

     1.2  "Authorized  Leave of Absence"  means a person is still  considered an
employee of the Company under the Company's personnel  policies,  but the person
is not rendering services to the Company.

     1.3 "CEO" means the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

     1.4 "Committee" means the committee  appointed pursuant to the terms of the
Plan to handle  ministerial  matters related to the operation and administration
of the Plan.

     1.5  "Committee  Representative"  means  the  individual  appointed  by the
Committee at the Company to perform  Committee  functions such as the receipt of
Contribution Elections and tax forms.

     1.6 "Company" means Optical Cable Corporation,  a Virginia corporation,  or
any successor corporation by merger, consolidation,  purchase, or otherwise, and
any subsidiaries, direct or indirect, thereof which elects to adopt the Plan.

     1.7 "Company Stock" means common stock of the Company.

     1.8 "Compensation" means regular salary or regular gross earnings excluding
bonuses,  back pay,  lump sum and  severance  paid to an Employee by the Company
prior to income or employment taxes or any other withholdings.

     1.9 "Contributions"  means an after-tax amount contributed by a Participant
from his Compensation and delivered by the Company to the Administrator.

     1.10 "Contribution  Amount" means the dollar amount which a Participant has
elected



<PAGE>



to be contributed to the Plan as a Contribution.

     1.11  "Contribution  Election"  means the election made by a Participant to
reduce his Compensation  each payroll period,  as designated by the Participant,
by the Contribution Amount.

     1.12  "Effective  Date" means  February 23,  1998,  the date upon which the
provisions of this document become effective. In general, the provisions of this
document only apply to Participants  who are Employees on or after the Effective
Date.

     1.13  "Employee"  means any person who renders  service to the Company as a
full-time employee or who is on an Authorized Leave of Absence.

     1.14 "Fair  Market  Value"  means the  market  price of the  Company  Stock
prevailing on the Nasdaq National Market (or any national  exchange on which the
Company  Stock may trade in the future) on the Trade Date,  or if a  transaction
involves  more than one purchase or sale,  the average  thereof as determined by
the Administrator.

     1.15 "Investment  Direction" means a written instruction from a Participant
to the Administrator to do one or more of the following financial transactions:

          (a)  sell  shares  of  Company  Stock  held in his  Plan  Account  and
     distribute the net cash proceeds to the Participant or his designee; and

          (b)  withdraw  shares  of  Company  Stock  from his Plan  Account  and
     transfer or distribute such shares as directed by the Participant.

     1.16  "Notice  Date" means the date which is fourteen  (14)  calendar  days
prior to a  scheduled  pay date for a payroll  period  for which a  Contribution
Election is to be effective.

     1.17 "Participant"  means an Employee who begins to participate in the Plan
after  completing the eligibility  requirements.  A Participant's  participation
continues until his Plan Account is distributed.

     1.18 "Plan" means the Optical Cable  Corporation  Employee  Stock  Purchase
Plan,  as herein set forth herein and as  hereafter  may be amended from time to
time.

     1.19 "Plan Account" means the record of a Participant's full and fractional
shares of Company Stock held by the Administrator.  A Participant's Plan Account
and the shares held in such account will be fully vested in the  Participant and
nonforfeitable by the Participant.

     1.20 "Settlement  Date" means the date on which the  transactions  from the
most recent  Trade Date are settled in  accordance  with  applicable  securities
laws.


                                        2

<PAGE>



     1.21  "Spouse"  means a person who is alive and married to the  Participant
within the meaning of the laws of the State of the  Participant's  residence  as
evidenced  by a valid  marriage  certificate  or other proof  acceptable  to the
Committee.

     1.22  "Termination  of  Employment"  occurs  when a person  ceases to be an
Employee for any reason including death.

     1.23  "Trade  Date"  means the date on which the  Administrator  executes a
financial transaction pursuant to the Plan.

     1.24  "Transfer  Date"  means  the  date on  which  the  Company  transfers
Contributions made by Participants to the Administrator.

                                   ARTICLE II

                                  PARTICIPATION

     2.1  Eligibility.  Each  individual  who  is an  Employee  (other  than  an
individual  on an Authorized  Leave of Absence) on or after the  Effective  Date
shall be eligible to become a Participant.

     2.2 Participation.  For an Employee to become a Participant,  he must first
complete,  sign and return a form provided by the Committee which sets forth the
Employee's  Contribution Election and Investment  Direction.  Participation will
begin on the next  payroll  period  with  respect  to which such forms have been
received by the Committee Representative on or prior to its Notice Date.

     2.3 Plan  Account.  Unless a Participant  submits a written  request to the
Administration  specifying otherwise,  a Participant's Plan Account will be held
in his name only. A Participant may cause the Administrator to add his Spouse as
a co-owner of his Plan  Account and may  specify  the type of  ownership  (i.e.,
tenants in common,  joint tenants with rights of  survivorship or tenants by the
entireties).  The  Administrator,   at  its  sole  discretion,  shall  permit  a
Participant to add persons other than a  Participant's  Spouse as co-owners of a
Participant's Plan Account.

     2.4 Suspension of  Participation.  A  Participant's  Contribution  shall be
suspended as follows:

          (a)  If  a  Participant's   wages  are  subject  to  a  tax  levy,  no
     Contribution will be withheld until the levy is removed.

          (b) If a Participant's  wages are subject to a wage assignment  and/or


                                       3

<PAGE>



     garnishment,  a  Contribution  will be withheld only if there is sufficient
     remaining Compensation to make the entire Contribution.

                                   ARTICLE III

                            PARTICIPANT CONTRIBUTIONS

     3.1 Contribution  Election. A Participant who desires to have Contributions
withheld  from his  Compensation  shall file a  Contribution  Election  with the
Committee Representative specifying a Contribution Amount of no less than twenty
dollars  ($20.00)  per  month  and  no  more  than  ten  percent  (10%)  of  his
Compensation  for his last payroll period for which payment has been made (or if
a new  Employee  with  no  previous  Compensation,  ten  percent  (10%)  of  the
Employee's  anticipated  Compensation  as  determined  by  the  Committee).  The
Contribution  Election  shall become  effective with respect to the next payroll
period if it is  received  by the  Committee  Representative  on or  before  the
applicable Notice Date.

     3.2 Contribution Election Procedures. A Participant's Contribution Election
shall  continue in effect  until the  earliest of the date (1) his  Contribution
Election  is  changed  in  accordance  with  Section  3.2(a)  hereof;   (2)  his
Termination  of  Employment;  or (3) his  Contribution  Election  is canceled in
accordance with Section 3.2(b) hereof.

          (a) Changing the Contribution  Election. A Participant may increase or
     decrease his  Contribution  Amount  (subject to the  percentage  limits set
     forth in Section 3.1) by delivering to the Committee  Representative  a new
     Contribution  Election on which is specified the new  Contribution  Amount.
     The  Contribution  Election shall become effective with respect to the next
     payroll  period if it is received  by the  Committee  Representative  on or
     before the applicable Notice Date. Any Contribution  Election which has not
     been  properly  completed  will be deemed not to have been  received by the
     Committee.

          (b) Canceling the  Contribution  Election.  A Participant  desiring to
     cancel his  existing  Contribution  Election  and  reduce his  Contribution
     Amount  to  zero  must  deliver  to  the  Committee  Representative  a  new
     Contribution  Election.  The  Contribution  Election shall become effective
     with respect to the next payroll  period if it is received by the Committee
     Representative on or before the applicable Notice Date.  Contributions held
     by the Company  with respect to a payroll  period  payment date before such
     Contribution  Election  becomes  effective  or  held  by the  Administrator
     pending investment shall not be affected by such Contribution Election. Any
     Participant  who has improperly  completed a Contribution  Election will be
     deemed not to have made a Contribution Election.


                                        4

<PAGE>



     3.3  Transfers  to   Administrator.   The  Company  will  transfer  to  the
Administrator as soon as practical funds withheld from Participants  pursuant to
Contribution  Elections,  but a  Transfer  Date  shall in no event be later than
fifteen  (15) days  after  such  withholding.  No  interest  will be paid by the
Company on funds held by it pending transfer to the Administrator.

     3.4   Notification   of   Administrator.   The  Company   will  notify  the
Administrator  of  any  change  to  a  Participant's  Contribution  Election  or
eligibility  to  participate  in  the  Plan  on  or  about  the  time  the  next
Contribution   by  such   Participant   would  have  been   transferred  to  the
Administrator if no such change had occurred.

                                   ARTICLE IV

                  ADMINISTRATION OF PARTICIPANTS' PLAN ACCOUNTS

     4.1 Plan  Account  Maintenance.  The  Administrator  shall  cause  the Plan
Account for each  Participant  to reflect  transactions  in accordance  with the
terms of this Plan.  Fractional shares of Company Stock shall be recorded to the
third decimal point.

     4.2 Trade Date. The  Administrator  shall process  transactions to ensure a
Trade Date regularly  occurs as soon as practical  after each Transfer Date, but
in no event more than fifteen (15) days after each such Transfer Date. Financial
transactions  shall  be  posted  to a  Participant's  Plan  Account  as  of  the
Settlement   Date  and  based  upon  the  Trade  Date  values  provided  by  the
Administrator.

     4.3 Fees and Expenses. Except as hereinafter provided, Company will pay all
account maintenance fees and transactional fees or expenses. A Participant shall
pay all transactional fees and expenses  associated with a sale of Company Stock
and such fees and expenses  shall be netted against the proceeds of such sale by
the Administrator.

     4.4 Voting. The Administrator will vote any shares of Company Stock that it
holds in a  Participant's  Plan  Account in  accordance  with the  Participant's
directions, provided they are received in a timely manner in accordance with the
procedures  developed for this purpose by the  Administrator.  The Administrator
will  not  vote  the  shares  of  Company  Stock  held in a Plan  Account  for a
Participant from whom no voting  directions are received,  however,  such shares
may be counted towards determining whether a quorum is present at any meeting of
stockholders.


                                        5

<PAGE>



                                    ARTICLE V

                              INVESTMENT DIRECTIONS

     5.1 Purchase of Shares.  The Administrator  will purchase shares of Company
Stock pursuant to a properly executed and delivered Contribution Election.

     5.2 Reinvestment of Dividends.

     (a) Cash Dividends - The Administrator will reinvest cash dividends paid on
shares of Company Stock held in each  Participant's Plan Account into additional
full or fractional shares of Company Stock.

     (b) Non-Cash  Dividends - Non-cash  dividends of Company Stock will be held
in the Plan  Account  of the  Participant.  Non-cash  dividends,  other  than of
Company Stock, shall be sold and reinvested in Company Stock.

     5.3 Withdrawals by Participants.

     (a)  Requirement - A Participant  may cause the  Administrator  to effect a
withdrawal  from his Plan Account in accordance  with the  provisions of Section
5.4 below.

     (b) Sources for  Withdrawal  - The  withdrawal  amount shall come only from
shares of Common Stock posted to his or her Plan Account.

     (c) Permitted  Frequency - There is no restriction on the number of times a
Participant may withdraw from his or her Plan Account.

     (d) Minimum Amount - There is no minimum amount for any type of withdrawal.

     (e)   Distribution   -  By  delivering  an  Investment   Direction  to  the
Administrator,  the Participant may cause the  Administrator  to either sell the
Company stock held in the Participant's Plan Account on the next scheduled Trade
Date and pay the Participant  for such shares,  and/or to make a distribution of
whole shares of Company Stock held in the  Participant's  Plan  Account.  If the
Administrator  sells any of the  Participant's  Company Stock, the Administrator
shall make payment of any cash to the Participant from the sale of Company stock
in the  Participant's  Plan Account within three (3) days of the Settlement Date
or  such  earlier  time  as  required  by  applicable  securities  laws.  If the
Administrator  makes a distribution  of any whole shares of Company Stock to the
Participant,   the   Administrator   shall  transfer  shares  or  deliver  share
certificates, as requested by a Participant, of any Company Stock withdrawn from
the Participant's Plan Account as soon as practical.


                                        6

<PAGE>



     (f) Medium and Form of Payment - The medium of payment for  withdrawals  is
either cash or in whole shares of Company Stock. If no instructions  for payment
are  received,  the  certificates  will  be  issued  only  in  the  name  of the
Participant  and any co-owner of such  Participant's  Plan Account.  The form of
payment for withdrawals shall be a single installment.

     5.4 Investment Direction Processing.

     (a)  Application by  Participant - A Participant  must submit an Investment
Direction to the  Administrator to implement any withdraw  transaction set forth
in Section 5.3

     (b)  Approval by  Administrator  - The  Administrator  is  responsible  for
determining  that an Investment  Direction  conforms to the requirements of this
Plan.

     (c) Time of Processing - The  Administrator  shall  process all  Investment
Directions as soon as practical,  based on the Fair Market Value, if applicable,
as of the Trade Date to which it relates,  and, if applicable,  fund them on the
applicable Settlement Date.

     (d) Fractional Shares - Fractional shares shall be sold based upon the Fair
Market Value for the applicable Trade Date.

                                   ARTICLE VI

           DISTRIBUTION OF PLAN ACCOUNTS ON TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT

     6.1   Notification   of   Administrator.   The   Committee   or   Committee
Representative  shall promptly notify the Administrator  upon the Termination of
Employment of any Participant.

     6.2 Investment  Direction.  A Participant  shall have thirty (30) days from
the  date  of  the  Participant's  Termination  of  Employment  to  provide  the
Administrator  with  an  Investment   Direction  setting  forth  the  method  of
withdrawal from the Plan pursuant to Section 5.3.

     6.3 Death of Participant.

     (a) If the Participant dies leaving no living co-owner of the Participant's
Plan Account,  the  Administrator  shall,  after  receiving  notice  pursuant to
Section 6.1, distribute such Participant's Plan Account in a single distribution
of full  shares  of  Company  Stock  plus cash for any  fractional  share to his
estate.

     (b)  If  the  Participant  dies  and  there  is a  living  co-owner  of the
Participant's  Plan Account,  such co-owner shall have thirty (30) days from the
date of the Participant's  death to provide the Administrator with an Investment
Direction pursuant to Section 5.3 setting forth


                                        7

<PAGE>



the method of withdraw  from the Plan for the portion of the balance of the Plan
Account to which the co-owner has ownership rights in accordance with applicable
law as if such co-owner were a Participant.

     6.4 Failure or Inability to Provide an Investment  Direction.  In the event
that the Administrator has received notice of the Termination of Employment of a
Participant  pursuant  to Section 6.1 and the  Administrator  does not receive a
valid Investment Direction from the Participant,  or from a co-owner in the case
of the  Participant's  death,  within  thirty  (30)  days  of the  Participant's
Termination of Employment, the Administrator shall distribute such Participant's
Plan Account in a distribution  of full shares of Company  Stock,  plus cash for
any fractional share, to such Participant and/or any co-owner in accordance with
applicable law, and/or such Participant's estate, as the case may be.

                                   ARTICLE VII

                                THE ADMINISTRATOR

     7.1 Selection of Administrator.  The Administrator  shall serve at the will
of  the   Committee  and  the  Committee  may  from  time  to  time  remove  the
Administrator with or without cause and shall appoint its successor.

     7.2 Administrator's  Duties. The powers, duties and responsibilities of the
Administrator  shall be as stated in this Plan. All Contributions  shall be paid
to the  Administrator,  and all Plan Accounts under the Plan shall be maintained
by the  Administrator.  The Company shall have no rights or claims of any nature
in or to the assets of a Plan Account.

     7.3  Statements.  The  Administrator  will issue  quarterly  statements  to
Participants  reflecting the full and fractional shares of Company Stock held in
his or her Plan Account.

                                  ARTICLE VIII

                              CEO AND THE COMMITTEE

     8.1  Authority  and  Responsibility  of the CEO. The CEO shall have overall
responsibility for the establishment, amendment and termination of the Plan. The
Committee  shall be delegated  such  responsibilities  as set forth herein or as
otherwise delegated by the CEO.

     8.2  Committee  Membership.  The  Committee  shall consist of not less than
three (3)  persons,  who shall be  appointed  by the CEO. In the absence of such
appointment of the


                                        8

<PAGE>



Committee,  the CEO will be the  Committee.  Committee  members  shall remain in
office  at the will of the CEO and the CEO may from time to time  remove  any of
said members with or without cause and shall appoint their successors.

     8.3 Committee Structure. Any Employee may be a member of the Committee. Any
member of the Committee may resign by delivering his written  resignation to the
CEO,  and such  resignation  shall  become  effective  upon  the date  specified
therein. A member of the Committee who is an Employee shall  automatically cease
to be a member upon his Termination of Employment.  In the event of a vacancy in
membership,  the remaining  members shall  constitute  the Committee in question
with full  power to act until said  vacancy  is  filled.  The CEO may remove any
member of the Committee without cause.

     8.4 Committee  Actions.  The action of the Committee shall be determined by
the vote or other affirmative expression of a majority of its members.

     8.5  Compensation.  The  members  of  the  Committee  shall  serve  without
compensation for their services as such.

     8.6 Responsibility and Authority of the Committee.  The Committee on behalf
of the  Participants  will enforce the Plan in  accordance  with its  respective
terms and shall have the authority and discretion to, among other things:

          (a) Formulate, adopt, issue and apply procedures and rules and change,
     alter or amend  such  procedures  and rules as may be  consistent  with the
     terms of the Plan;

          (b) Exercise such  discretion as may be required to construe and apply
     the provisions of the Plan, subject only to the terms and conditions of the
     Plan; and

          (c)  Take  all  necessary  and  proper  acts as are  required  for the
     Committee to fulfill its duties and obligations under the Plan.

Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  it is intended that the Committee's  day-to-day
administrative responsibilities with respect to the Plan shall be ministerial in
nature only.

     8.7 Information to be Supplied by the Company.  The Company shall supply to
the  Committee,  within  a  reasonable  time of its  request,  the  names of all
Employees, their age, their date of hire, and the amount of Compensation paid to
each  Employee,  the names and dates of all Employees who incurred a Termination
of  Employment.  The Company shall provide to the Committee or its delegate such
other  information  as it shall from time to time need in the  discharge  of its
duties.  The Committee may rely conclusively on the information  certified to it
by an the Company.


                                        9

<PAGE>



     8.8  Committee  Decisions  Final.  The decision of the Committee in matters
within its jurisdiction shall be final, binding, and conclusive upon the Company
and upon each Employee,  Participant,  Spouse, the Administrator and every other
person or party interested or concerned.

                                   ARTICLE IX

                            AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

     9.1 Amendments.

     (a) Power to Amend - The CEO,  or the  Committee  as  provided  in  Section
9.1(b) below,  may amend,  modify,  change,  revise or discontinue  this Plan by
amendment at any time; provided, however, that no amendment shall:

          (1) increase the duties or  liabilities  of the  Administrator  or the
     Committee without its written consent; or

          (2) have the effect of  vesting in the  Company  any  interest  in any
     funds, securities or other property.

     (b) The Committee - The Committee may amend,  modify,  change or revise the
Plan by amendment if such amendment  could have been adopted under Paragraph (a)
hereof and it does not  materially  increase the duties and  obligations  of the
Company with respect to the Plan.

     9.2 Plan  Termination.  It is the  expectation  of the Company that it will
continue the Plan and the forwarding of  Contributions  hereunder  indefinitely,
but the continuation of the Plan and the forwarding of  Contributions  hereunder
is not assumed as a contractual obligation of the Company. The right is reserved
by the Company to terminate the Plan at any time. Upon  termination of the Plan,
all Plan  Accounts  will be  distributed  as if such  Participant  had elected a
withdrawal of shares of Company Stock.

                                    ARTICLE X

                            MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

     10.1 No Assignment of Plan Account.  Except to the extent  permitted by the
Administrator  in its sole  discretion,  shares of Company Stock credited to the
Plan Account of a  Participant  may not be assigned,  pledged as  collateral  or
otherwise  hypothecated.  A Participant who has an involuntary  transfer imposed
upon him or her will be deemed to have elected to withdraw such shares.


                                       10

<PAGE>




     10.2 Plan Does Not Affect Employment  Rights. The Plan does not provide any
employment rights to any Employee.  The Company expressly  reserves the right to
discharge an Employee at any time, with or without cause,  without regard to the
effect such discharge would have upon the Employee's interest in the Plan.

     10.3 Deduction of Taxes from Amounts Payable.  The Administrator shall have
the power and authority to deduct from the amount to be distributed  such amount
as the Administrator deems proper to protect the Administrator against liability
for the payment of death, succession,  inheritance,  income, or other taxes, and
out of money so deducted, the Administrator may discharge any such liability and
pay the  amount  remaining  to the  Participant  or the  deceased  Participant's
estate, as the case may be.

     10.4 Source of Benefits.  All benefits payable under the Plan shall be paid
or  provided  for  solely  from the Plan  Account  and the  Company  assumes  no
liability or responsibility therefor.

     10.5  Indemnification.  To the extent  permitted  by law the Company  shall
indemnify and hold harmless the CEO and each member of the  Committee,  and each
officer   and   employee  of  the   Company  to  whom  are   delegated   duties,
responsibilities,  and  authority  with  respect to the Plan against all claims,
liabilities,  fines and penalties,  and all expenses  reasonably  incurred by or
imposed upon him  (including  but not limited to  reasonable  attorney  fees and
amounts  paid in any  settlement  relating to the Plan) by reason of his service
under  the  Plan  if he did not  act  dishonestly,  with  gross  negligence,  or
otherwise in knowing violation of the law under which such liability, loss, cost
or expense arises.  This indemnity shall not preclude such other  indemnities as
may be available under insurance  purchased or provided by the Company under any
bylaw,  agreement, or otherwise, to the extent permitted by law. Payments of any
indemnity,  expenses or fees under this Section shall be made solely from assets
of the Company.

     10.6 Limitation on Liability. No Company nor any agent or representative of
any  Company  who is an  employee,  officer,  or  director of the Company in any
manner guarantees the assets of the Plan against loss or depreciation and non of
them  shall  be  liable  (except  for  his  own  gross   negligence  or  willful
misconduct),  for any act or failure to act, done or omitted in good faith, with
respect  to the Plan.  The  Company,  the CEO and the  Committee  shall  have no
responsibility for any act of or failure to act by the Administrator.

     10.7 Gender and Number.  Except when the context indicates to the contrary,
when used herein,  masculine terms shall be deemed to include the feminine,  and
singular the plural.

     10.8 Invalidity of Certain Provisions.  If any provision of this Plan shall
be held invalid or unenforceable,  such invalidity or unenforceability shall not
affect any other provisions  hereof and the Plan shall be construed and enforced
as if such provisions, to the


                                       11

<PAGE>


extent invalid or unenforceable, had not been included.

     10.9 Headings. The headings or articles are included solely for convenience
of reference, and if there is any conflict between such headings and the text of
this Plan, the text shall control.

     10.10 Law Governing.  The Plan shall be construed and enforced according to
the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia,  without regard to its rules regarding
conflict of laws.






                                       12


<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE  CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL  INFORMATION  EXTRACTED FROM FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS  FOR THE NINE  MONTHS  ENDED JULY 31,  1998 AND IS  QUALIFIED  IN ITS
ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

Amounts inapplicable or not disclosed as a separate line on the Balance Sheet or
Statement of Income are reported as 0 herein.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
<CURRENCY>                                     US DOLLARS
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              OCT-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                 NOV-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   JUL-31-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                          1
<CASH>                                                 396
<SECURITIES>                                             0
<RECEIVABLES>                                       11,063
<ALLOWANCES>                                           325
<INVENTORY>                                         12,022
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                    23,690
<PP&E>                                              15,485
<DEPRECIATION>                                       4,233
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                      34,981
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                4,513
<BONDS>                                                  0
                                    0
                                              0
<COMMON>                                            12,007
<OTHER-SE>                                          18,311
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                        34,981
<SALES>                                             37,290
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                    37,336
<CGS>                                               21,473
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                       28,804
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                         5
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                        45
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                       0
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                      8,528
<INCOME-TAX>                                         3,001
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                  5,527
<DISCONTINUED>                                           0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                          0
<CHANGES>                                                0
<NET-INCOME>                                         5,527
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0.144
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0.143
        


</TABLE>


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