Booz Allen Profit, Sales Decline

Booz Allen Hamilton said today sales and profit in its most recent quarter fell, but the contractor's chief executive struck a note of optimism for the future.

The contractor reported that quarterly revenue hit $1.3 billion, down from nearly $1.4 billion in the same three-month period a year earlier. Booz Allen reported profit of $43.4 million, down from $46.9 million the prior year.

Horacio Rozanski, Booz Allen's CEO, told analysts in a call this morning that he is seeing signs of an improved market.

"We are optimistic that this budget stability will continue," Rozanski said. However, "our planning has never been about what Congress might do. Instead, we are focused on the things we can control."

He said the market, in general, "is a lot more competitive than it used to be . . . and I don't think that's going to change."