Window firm shares break $10 milestone

VENICE — Shares of PGT Inc., an impact-resistant window and door manufacturer, hit a milestone at the market close Monday when it ended the day at $10.

That was the highest close in more than four years, and more than $7 over its 52-week low of $2.63 a share. PGT Shares (symbol: PGTI) traded as high as $10.14 in midday trading July 11 and July 15, and closed at just less than $10 those days.

Shares of the Venice-based firm, which struggled during the recession, were in the $1 range in December 2011 and early 2012. But a rebranding effort, combined with a resurgence in the housing market, has fostered the comeback. Annual revenues at the firm, for example, increased 4.3% in 2012, from $167.2 million in 2011 to $174.5 million. The company also posted a $9 million profit in 2012, or 17 cents per share. That was a $25.9 million turnaround from 2011, when PGT lost $17 million, or 31 cents per share.