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Extended Systems Inc. posted its first quarterly profit in four years by earning $118,000, or 1 cent per share, in its fourth fiscal quarter (ended June 30).<P>That compares to a $2.2 million loss in the year-ago quarter, or 2 cents per share. In the first three quarters of the recently completed fiscal year, losses totaled $2 million, $1.3 million and $648,000, respectively.<P>In a company statement last week, President and CEO Steve Simpson cited higher net revenue in the most recent quarter, lower operating expenses, and currency conversion gains in Europe and Canada.<P>Boise-based Extended Systems designs and markets mobile information management software designed to enable workers to access databases and computer network functions via mobile and wireless devices.<P>"As more and more companies look to mobilize their work forces, they are relying on Extended Systems for its mobile expertise to help maximize the value and financial benefits that can be realized through mobile technology," Simpson said.<P>Fourth-quarter revenue totaled $7.4 million, unchanged from the previous quarter but up from $5.6 million a year earlier.<P>Simpson said in an interview that per- share results were within the range that the company predicted three months ago. "It's not a big surprise & it's something we've certainly been working toward," he said.<P>In the most recent quarter, Extended did business with companies that included Johnson & Johnson, Daimler-Chrysler, Hewlett-Packard, Martha Stewart Living and Weight Watchers. It gained customers in the utility, home health and retail merchandising industries.<P>Since June, Extended has announced business agreements involving clients that include PetSmart and Petco, Qualcomm, EDS, Avaya and Microsoft.<P>Simpson said he is "cautiously optimistic" about the company's prospects, and demand. The company has reduced its expenses, and increased revenue amidst growing demand among companies to gain efficiency and competitiveness, he added.<P>"We think we are very well structured, and we think we have the right-size team to carry forward," Simpson said.<P>The company's stock traded around $5.30 last week, compared to a one-year range between $1.30 (February) and $5.24.<P>Fiscal- year net revenue from continuing operations totaled $27.5 million, up from $22.3 million in the previous year. Extended posted a net loss of $3.8 million, or 28 cents per share, compared to the fiscal 2002 net loss of $7.2 million, or 65 cents per share.<P>Chief Financial Officer Karla Rosa was quoted in a published report that she expects revenues to grow between 5 percent and 20 percent in each of the next four quarters.<P>She expects results between a $100,000 loss and a $650,000 profits in the current quarter, on revenues between $7.4 million to $8.5 million, the Idaho Statesman report said.<P>Extended Systems employs 225, including 150 at its headquarters in Boise Research Center.<P>Competitor Pumatech Inc., San Jose, filed a patent suit in mid-2002 against Extended, which filed a counterclaim. Extended recently petitioned the U.S. Patent Office to re-examine three Pumatech patents.