Q4 aside, Candela pleased with performance.

WAYLAND, MA -- It has been an interesting--and profitable--12 months for Candela. The medical-laser company has watched its revenues grow 21% and its profits grow 104% in the latest fiscal year (ended July 1, 2006), despite a "disastrous" 4th quarter. Its stock price more than doubled in the first five months of 2006, reaching nearly $25/share in May, only to fall back to $9/share in September--about where it was in September '05. And fellow competitor Palomar Medical Technologies (Burlington, MA) is aggressively pursuing Candela via patent-infringement litigation. Through it all, president and CEO Jerry Puorro remains bullish on the company and its position in the …