EVERETT – Strong sales of Intermec Technologies’ mobile computers and bar code printers, especially across North America, helped its parent company double its earnings during the second quarter.
Unova Inc., based in Everett, said earnings for the period totaled $12 million, or 19 cents a share, compared to $5.7 million for last year’s second quarter.
“The growth really has been across the board,” said Tom Miller, Intermec’s president. Overall sales of products and services totaled $217.5 million for the quarter, an increase of nearly 17 percent.
Michael Keane, Unova’s chief financial officer, added that Intermec’s U.S. sales grew faster than its worldwide sales for the first time in several years. Among the hot-selling products were Intermec’s two newest mobile computers, which were introduced during the quarter, he said.
Unova is almost done selling its unrelated industrial division so it can focus on fast-growing Intermec. Larry Brady, Unova’s chairman and chief executive officer, said the last of the company’s industrial assets, Landis Grinding, should be sold before the year ends.
Brady added that legal expenses for the rest of the year could reach $10 million as Intermec defends its patents related to radio frequency identification technology. The company and its bigger rival, Symbol Technologies, are suing each other over alleged patent violations.
“While no legal expense could be described as good, we do expect to make a more-than- reasonable return on this investment,” Brady said.
Even with that expense, however, Unova should continue to see its revenue and profits grow by double digits in the near future, Brady said.
Reporter Eric Fetters: 425-339-3453 or fetters@heraldnet.com.
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