<TABLE> <S> <C>

<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 5
       
<S>                             <C>                     <C>                     <C>                     <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS                   9-MOS                   3-MOS                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          OCT-31-1998             OCT-31-1998             OCT-31-1997             OCT-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             MAY-01-1998             NOV-01-1997             MAY-01-1997             NOV-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JUL-31-1998             JUL-31-1998             JUL-31-1997             JUL-31-1997
<CASH>                                        12746175                12746175                  912290                  912290
<SECURITIES>                                         0                       0                       0                       0
<RECEIVABLES>                                 19220638                19220638                20215180                20215180
<ALLOWANCES>                                   1393000                 1393000                 1140000                 1140000
<INVENTORY>                                   13245258                13245258                11576651                11576651
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                              45275367                45275367                33129382                33129382
<PP&E>                                        41472616                41472616                37100695                37100695
<DEPRECIATION>                                16570645                16570645                13825053                13825053
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                74592948                74592948                60345713                60345713
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                         11079227                11079227                14194210                14194210
<BONDS>                                              0                       0                       0                       0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0                       0                       0                       0
<PREFERRED>                                          0                       0                       0                       0
<COMMON>                                       9673835                 9673835                 8384930                 8384930
<OTHER-SE>                                    34630617                34630617                18464842                18464842
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                  74592948                74592948                60345713                60346713
<SALES>                                       30765407                90736088                27454379                77398029
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                              30765407                90736088                27454379                77398029
<CGS>                                         21596845                63445388                18518146                52612887
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                 21596845                63445388                18518146                52612877
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               7222726                21550530                 7262929                19730338
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0                       0                       0                       0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              372062                 1235551                  451997                 1141713
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                1715955                 4849717                 1338122                 4517290
<INCOME-TAX>                                    695323                 2010845                  557481                 1896341
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            1715955                 4849717                 1338122                 4517290
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0                       0                       0                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0                       0                       0                       0
<CHANGES>                                            0                       0                       0                       0
<NET-INCOME>                                   1020632                 2838872                  780641                 2620949
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.11                    0.32                    0.09                    0.31
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.11                    0.32                    0.09                    0.31
        

</TABLE>