H1N1 Masks Boost Firm

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Alpha Pro Tech(APT) has performed well since our initial look of the stock on Aug. 8. At the time, APT was trading at $3.50 per share.

On Oct. 27, the company reported $16.89 million in revenue for the third quarter compared with $10.22 million for the year-ago quarter. It reported 12 cents a share in earnings compared with 3 cents a year ago. The earnings beat analysts' estimates by 1 cent.

The company's fully diluted shares fell 6.51% from 24.72 million shares a year ago to 23.11 million shares in the past quarter.

Following the earnings report, the stock sustained a hard pullback from its opening price of $7.22 to a close at $5.69 the following day. However, APT has subsequently rebounded, reaching an intraday high of $6.83 on Nov. 3.

We urge interested investors to listen to the company's bullish conference call replay. Here are some of our notes and thoughts on the call.

Alpha Pro Tech is reporting exceptionally strong growth in two of its product categories: infection control and building supply.

The infection-control segment, which makes protective masks, continues to benefit from the H1N1 pandemic. The run rate of its N95 H1N1 masks is at $36 million and is at full capacity.

Alpha Pro Tech is considering the addition of new N95 manufacturing lines, each capable of contributing $9 million in annual revenue. The company speculated that the H1N1 pandemic could last two to five years, which bodes well for an acceleration of its sales momentum through at least 2010. Gross margins should also see gradual improvement as its N95 mask revenues increase.