Newport Corp.: The Irvine manufacturer of equipment...

Newport Corp.: The Irvine manufacturer of equipment for the development of technology involving lasers and optics posted a 14% gain in net income for the first quarter on a 15% increase in sales. Net income rose to $942,000, or 11 cents a share, from $828,000, or 10 cents a share, for the same period last year. Net income for the 1995 first quarter included nonrecurring investment income totaling $262,000. Sales increased to $28 million from $24.3 million. Results for the 1996 first quarter included $1.5 million in sales from MikroPrecision Instruments Inc., which was acquired in January.