<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM FERROFLUIDICS CORPORATION'S CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AS OF SEPTEMBER 27, 1997 AND ITS CONSOLIDATED RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE THREE MONTHS THEN ENDED, AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH QUARTER BY STATEMENT ON FORM 10-Q FOR THE QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 27,1997. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000353286 <NAME> FERROFLUIDICS <MULTIPLIER> 1 <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-27-1997 <PERIOD-START> JUL-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> SEP-27-1997 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 1,061,000 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 13,389,000 <ALLOWANCES> 210,000 <INVENTORY> 14,847,000 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 31,140,000 <PP&E> 19,467,000 <DEPRECIATION> 11,297,000 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 44,643,000 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 17,242,000 <BONDS> 5,000,000 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 36,575,000 <OTHER-SE> (14,345,000) <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 22,230,000 <SALES> 15,330,000 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 15,330,000 <CGS> 10,777,000 <TOTAL-COSTS> 10,777,000 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 3,399,000 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 246,000 <INCOME-PRETAX> 747,000 <INCOME-TAX> 91,000 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 656,000 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 656,000 <EPS-PRIMARY> .11 <EPS-DILUTED> .11