Industry Slump Keeps PerfectData in Red Ink

PerfectData said it lost $152,000, or 5 cents a share, in its third quarter ended Dec. 31, against a $4,000 profit in the same period a year ago. Sales were $1.1 million, a drop of 35%.

PerfectData is a Chatsworth-based maker of computer maintenance equipment and supplies sold under the name Careware. Company President Lee R. Mannheimer attributed PerfectData’s problems to the continuing slump in the computer market.

For the nine months, the company’s loss was $615,000, or 19 cents a share, against a loss of $4.3 million, or $1.29 per share, a year ago. Sales were $3.2 million, a drop of 28%.

The company has also suffered from its foray into the floppy-disk business, which was written off in the previous fiscal year.