Astro-Med Reports Record Second Quarter Sales; Directors Declare Regular Cash Dividend.

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

WEST WARWICK, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 15, 2000

Astro-Med, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALOT) reports sales of $13,219,000 with net income of $267,000, equal to 6 cents per share for the Second Quarter ending July 29, 2000.

For the corresponding period of the prior year, sales were $11,085,000 with net income of $271,000, equal to 6 cents per common share.

For the six-month period of the current fiscal year, sales were $25,593,000 with earnings of $426,000, equal to 10 cents per common share. For the corresponding six-month period in the prior fiscal year, sales were $21,462,000 and earnings were at the break-even level.

Mr. Albert W. Ondis, Chief Executive Officer, stated: "We are very pleased with the record sales volume and the continued improvement in the current fiscal year's results. Our sales grew by 19% during the quarter as we experienced increased customer demand in both our international and domestic markets. Our export sales were especially strong, increasing 52% from the prior year, while demand from our domestic markets rose by 9% from the prior year level.

"Our Grass-Telefactor product group reported revenues increasing 74% over the corresponding period of the prior year. Growth was evident in both the traditional Grass Instruments product lines, up 11%, as well as from the newly acquired Telefactor suite of long-term epilepsy monitoring products. During the Second Quarter, the Grass-Telefactor Group introduced a powerful low-cost neurological system called the Aurora(TM). The Aurora is a powerful Windows(R) based digital EEG/PSG system. The Company expects to continue its strategy of new product introduction to support the product group's growth. "The Company's QuickLabel(R) Systems product group also posted double-digit sales growth as continued acceptance of the Company's color printing systems grew by 14% in the quarter.

"During the quarter, sales of the Company's new Test & Measurement recorder workstation Everest(TM) met expectations. Initially targeted for the telemetry markets, this cutting edge product is expected to have wide acceptance in other industrial markets. Sales of Test & Measurement products increased 8% over the First Quarter. However, sales in the quarter were down compared with the Second Quarter of the prior year as demand in the Aerospace market continues to fluctuate."

On August 14, 2000, directors of Astro-Med, Inc. declared the regular quarterly cash dividend of 4 cents per common share, payable on October 2, 2000 to shareholders of record on September 15, 2000.

Astro-Med, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of high tech specialty printing systems, electronic medical instrumentation, and test and measurement instruments employed around the world in a wide range of industrial, scientific, and medical applications.

                         ASTRO-MED, INC.

                         Second Quarter         Six Months Ended
                     July 29,    July 31,     July 29,      July 31,
                       2000       1999          2000          1999
                   ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------
Net Sales          $13,219,000  $11,085,000  $25,593,000  $21,462,000
Net Income         $   267,000  $   271,000  $   426,000  $         0
Basic Earnings
 Per Share         $       .06  $       .06  $       .10  $       .00
Diluted Earnings
 Per Share         $       .06  $       .06  $       .10  $       .00
Dividends Per
 Share             $       .04  $       .04  $       .08  $       .08
Weighted Average
 Common Shares       4,425,039    4,433,858    4,422,043    4,454,251
 Outstanding -
 Basic
Weighted Average
 Common Shares       4,458,497    4,497,357    4,468,492    4,488,747
 Outstanding -
 Diluted

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements, and actual results may vary from those expressed or implied herein. Factors that could affect these results include those mentioned in Astro-Med's FY2000 annual report and its annual and quarterly filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.