Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported record quarterly revenue of $6.7 million for Q1 2026, a 46% increase compared to the same quarter a year ago [6][25] - Gross margins were 14.4%, up from 12.9% in the prior quarter but down from 26.6% in the same quarter last year [26] - The net loss for the quarter was $1.6 million, compared to a loss of $1.3 million in the year-ago quarter [27] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Production revenue was approximately $6 million, significantly up from $2.6 million in the year-ago quarter [25] - Aerospace program revenue reached $2.7 million, while the cystoscope program achieved $1.9 million [25] - Engineering revenue decreased to $656,000 from $1.6 million in the year-ago quarter [25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The aerospace program revenue net of tariffs was $2.5 million, representing an 800% increase year-over-year [11] - The cystoscope program revenue was $1.5 million net of tariff reimbursements, an 180% increase year-over-year [13] - The Ross Optical Division saw a 10% revenue increase quarter-over-quarter, reaching over $1 million [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on expanding its presence in the defense and aerospace markets while maintaining its commitment to the medical device sector [33] - New product development programs are expected to ramp up, with two significant agreements recently signed [10][20] - The company anticipates fiscal year 2026 revenue to exceed $25 million, with a positive adjusted EBITDA of approximately $500,000 [10][28] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about ongoing higher top-line revenue and improving gross margins, indicating a transition to a new operational level [11][30] - The company expects significant increases in product development revenues in the upcoming quarters, driven by new orders and a recovering optical components market [26][19] - Management acknowledged challenges in ramping production but believes that improvements in infrastructure and processes will yield long-term benefits [9][30] Other Important Information - The company has made substantial progress in improving production efficiency and expects to see benefits from recent investments in infrastructure [15][30] - Cash at the end of September was approximately $1.4 million, with debt at $1.7 million [28] Q&A Session Summary Question: Is the company pivoting towards defense and aerospace applications? - Management clarified that while they are promoting themselves more in the defense aerospace marketplace, this is in addition to their medical device focus [33] Question: Can you discuss capacity utilization and revenue support? - Management indicated that facility updates are ongoing, and they expect to have sufficient capacity to double current production levels without significant additional costs [35] Question: Can you break out COGS in terms of labor versus materials versus overhead? - Management explained that different divisions have varying cost structures, with manufacturing having significant material costs and micro-optics being labor-intensive [39] Question: What is the cause for the delay in the legacy defense program reorder? - Management speculated that the delay might be related to government activities but confirmed they do not have definitive information [42] Question: What are the average lifespans of defense versus medical programs? - Management noted that medical devices typically last at least five years, while defense programs also tend to have long lifespans, often in the 5-10 year range [46][48]