TransAct Technologies Inc.’s roll of the dice in pursuit of the global casino market nearly tripled first-quarter profit for the Hamden maker of electronic dispensers of promotional coupons attached to retail point-of-sale terminals and slot machines.
TransAct earned $1.8 million, or 19 cents a share, in the three months ended march 31, up from $629,000, or 7 cents a share, earned the same period a year ago.
First-quarter revenues climbed 46 percent to $20.7 million from $14.2 million last year.
Chairman and CEO Bart C. Shuldman said both were the best in the company’s history, and pointed to TransAct’s strategy to grow sales through new product launches and to expand into international gaming and to supplement the weakened U.S. casino market.
In February, Foxwoods Resorts quadrupled its pilot order — to 1,100 units — to install TransAct promotional-coupon printers on slot machines aimed at keeping players gambling longer and boosting visits to the resort’s other attractions.
Also, McDonald’s stepped up orders of TransAct printers, the company said.
