Shares in Ducommun Inc. surged more than 6 percent Monday after the company reported a 42-percent hike in profit thanks to a jump in sales to commercial airlines.

Ducommun reported third-quarter net income of $5.8 million (54 cents per share), compared with $4.1 million (40 cents), for the same period a year earlier. The results beat Wall Street predictions of 48 cents per share, according to a poll conducted by Thomson Financial. Shares also hit a new 52-week high of $40.84 in trading.

Revenue for the Carson-based aerospace parts maker rose 16 percent to $95 million, also beating analysts’ expectations of $90 million.

Ducommun said commercial sales rose to about 38 percent of its business from 31 percent from the year-ago period while sales to the military fell to about 60 percent from 66 percent, while space business fell to about 2 percent from 3 percent.

Shares in Ducommun gained 6.1 percent to $39.15 in afternoon trading Monday on the New York stock Exchange.