Fibre-optics specialist Bookham Technology, a newcomer to the FTSE 100 index of leading shares, reported revenue of £7.7m over the summer, a rise of two thirds year-on-year.
And Irish-based software firm Baltimore Technologies, which in September regained a FTSE 100 place, saw revenue more than treble to £20.1m over the quarter.
Stalwart challenger Associated British Foods, which owns Silver Spoon sugar, Kingsmill bread and Twinings tea and lost premier league status in September, saw sales rise only 2%
Profits gap
But ABF, which reported pre-tax profits of £247m for the year to the end of September, was the only one of the three firms to stay in the black.
Baltimore's losses widened to £18m over the last quarter, and Bookham's to £6.3m.
The results came on the day FTSE managers set 6 December as the date of the next review of its top 100 firms, with positions in the index going to firms with the highest market capitalisation.
ABF had a higher market capitalisation than both Baltimore and Bookham at the beginning of the week.
Record low
And Bookham's value fell further on Wednesday, with the firm's shares, which reached a high of 5302p in July, closing down 143p at 2139p in London.
ABF stock firmed 2.5p to 427.5p.
While Baltimore closed up 2p at 523.5p, it was still vulnerable to being overtaken by ABF or other FTSE 100 hopefuls Rolls-Royce and Hanson.
Tech stocks decline
Shares in high-tech stocks have been hit by mounting concerns over earnings, after US computer makers including Dell and Intel issued warnings two months ago.
Nortel Networks, whose disappointing results prompted a 6% fall in the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite in one day last month, is one of the leading buyers of Bookham's optical technology, used in the construction of high-capacity telecoms networks.
But Bookham reported sufficient demand for its products to prompt a six-fold increase in the firm's factory space during 2000.
Employee levels have more than doubled, to 787, since January, with growing sales and laboratory investment supporting further growth.
Further growth
"We expect a further increase in the number of engineers engaged in product development as we continue to support the future growth of the business," the firm's results statement said.
Dr Andrew Rickman, chairman and chief executive, said: "We are very pleased with the significant progress we made this quarter.
"As up to now we have been increasing product revenue faster than market growth, we believe we are well positioned to continue to expand our business."
New products
Baltimore Technologies, which increased headcount over the year from 468 to 846, said a patent lapse would allow it to boost sales of its key internet security software in the US.
Further growth would come from products yet to be launched, chief executive Fran Rooney said.
"As the provider of the essential security platform on which companies can secure their e-business systems, we are extremely well positioned to build on Baltimore's success," Mr Rooney said.
Core focus
ABF posted profits despite the strength of the pound, the weakness of UK agriculture and a £130m restructuring programme, which prompted the sale of biscuit-maker Burton's.
The plan would allow ABF, which traces its history back to 1935, to pursue a strategy of focusing on core products.
"We operate in an environment where competitive pressures are global, where excess capacity is endemic, and where low inflation is moving towards price deflation," chairman Harry Bailey said.
"If we are to prosper and grow in such a world, we must focus on those areas of our business which have strong market positions."