Clearfield, a U.S. provider of fiber optic connectivity and cabling equipment, released its third-quarter earnings report on the 6th, with sales reaching $49.9 million and net earnings per share of $0.11, exceeding the high end of expectations.
This quarter, Clearfield's sales stood at $49.9 million, compared to $48.8 million a year ago. Net profit for the quarter was $1.6 million, versus a loss of $400,000 in the same period last year.
"Our third-quarter net sales performed exceptionally well, driven by strong customer demand from large regional carriers and cable MSO end markets within the Clearfield segment," said Cheri Beranek, President and CEO of the company. "We remain focused on our goal of growing faster than the industry and increasing market share."
"Our solid revenue and profit performance is primarily due to improved absorption of indirect costs, recovery of previously reserved excess inventory, and capacity optimization across all our North American facilities for current and growing product lines," noted Dan Herzog, Chief Financial Officer.
Compared to traditional connector giants like CommScope, Corning, Molex, and Amphenol, Clearfield is perhaps a relatively under-the-radar company. The editor has long wondered how a company engaged in these relatively "low-tech" connectivity products manages to survive in the U.S. It seems they have not announced any partnerships with domestic OEM companies either. To some extent, Clearfield is more of a litmus test for the success of Trump's "America First" manufacturing policy. Two recent articles on Clearfield's website shed light on its vitality and achievements.
July 31, 2025 — Clearfield (NASDAQ: CLFD), a leader in community broadband fiber optic connectivity, is helping Hawaiian Telcom make history: the company is working to make Hawaii the first U.S. state with full fiber optic coverage by the end of next year. With Clearfield's solutions at the core of its network, Hawaiian Telcom has already provided fiber optic services to over 60% of households across Hawaii, covering all major islands and overcoming some of the state's most challenging terrains. By the end of this year, the company expects to cover 475,000 households.
Clearfield has supported this project for over 12 years. By the end of this year, Hawaiian Telcom will have installed over 1,000 Clearfield PONs. Clearfield's various fiber optic enclosures, splitters, wall boxes, central office panels and racks, and jumpers together form a solution that enables high-density, scalable fiber distribution across Hawaii's diverse landscapes.
August 4, 2025 — From pouring rain to heavy snow, from salt-laden air to subzero winds, the environments where fiber optic networks operate are not always friendly. Fiber optics and the internet may power today's global economy, but they rely on real-world infrastructure that must function in harsh and unpredictable conditions.
At Clearfield, we understand these realities. That's why our technology is ruggedized to work in field environments, not just in R&D labs. We manufacture durable fiber optic cable systems and enclosures, ensuring they perform in some of the harshest conditions — whether buried under frozen tundra, mounted on sun-scorched utility poles, or exposed to salt-rich coastal winds.
Take Alaska Communications and Hawaiian Telcom, two of Clearfield's customers located in the 49th and 50th U.S. states, respectively — both face extremely difficult and equally harsh environments.
Looking ahead to the full year, Clearfield raised its full-year 2025 revenue guidance to $180 million to $184 million. Notably, the earnings news concluded with the following statement: "Clearfield believes that the currently imposed tariffs will not have a material impact on the company's operating results."