<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
     THIS  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION  EXTRACTED  FROM
FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  FOR THE  THREE  MONTHS  ENDED  JANUARY  31,  1999  AND IS
QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

Amounts inapplicable or not disclosed as a separate line on the Balance Sheet or
Statement of Income are reported as 0 herein.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                                        0001000230 
<NAME>                        Optical Cable Corporation
<MULTIPLIER>                                      1,000
<CURRENCY>                                 U.S. Dollars
                                       
                                    
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                     3-MOS 
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                           OCT-31-1999 
<PERIOD-START>                              NOV-01-1998 
<PERIOD-END>                                JAN-31-1999 
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                       1 
<CASH>                                            5,161                  
<SECURITIES>                                          0 
<RECEIVABLES>                                     8,750    
<ALLOWANCES>                                        263    
<INVENTORY>                                       9,830    
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                 24,161    
<PP&E>                                           15,479    
<DEPRECIATION>                                    4,563    
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                   35,132    
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                             4,243    
<BONDS>                                               0 
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                 0 
<PREFERRED>                                           0 
<COMMON>                                          9,037    
<OTHER-SE>                                       21,694    
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                     35,132    
<SALES>                                          10,842    
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                 10,882    
<CGS>                                             6,120    
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                     8,630    
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                      0 
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                   (49) 
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                    0 
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                   2,253    
<INCOME-TAX>                                        804    
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                               1,448    
<DISCONTINUED>                                        0 
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                       0 
<CHANGES>                                             0 
<NET-INCOME>                                      1,448    
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.038 
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.038