Paul, All, RE: Book to Bill Press Release:
Chip Industry Bookings Stabilize in the America's Market PreliminaryBook-to-Bill Ratio for August Reaches 0.90SAN JOSE, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The chip industry's book-to-billratio in the America's market scored a modest gain in August on thestrength of $2.844 billion in new orders, a 0.9 percent increasefrom the $2.818 billion figure recorded in July. This $26 million gain in new orders was offset by a continuingdecline in billings, which decreased 3.2 percent from $3.26 billionin July to $3.15 billion in August, according to the WorldSemiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS). The preliminary book-to-bill ratio for August in the North andSouth American market is 0.90, an increase from July's revisedfigure of 0.86, the Semiconductor Industry Association reported. Book-to-bill numbers in the other major market sectors -- Japan,Asia and Europe -- remain higher than in the North and SouthAmerican market. The final worldwide book-to-bill ratio for Julywas 0.95, up from 0.93 in June. Japan's book-to-bill ratio exceeded1.02 in July. These 1996 trends, however, don't match the industry'srecord-setting pace of 1995. New chip orders in August, forexample, were 37.8 percent below the $4.57 billion in new ordersrecorded in August 1995. Last month's total billings, meanwhile,represent a 19.9 percent decline from the $3.93 billion in billingsfrom August 1995. The book-to-bill ratio in August 1995 was 1.16. The book-to-bill ratio compares new chip orders to prior sales. In August, chip companies received $90 in new orders for every $100in shipments. The WSTS is an international organization of approximately 70semiconductor manufacturers. Additional information about thebook-to-bill ratio, the WSTS, industry economic trends and membercompanies may be found on the SIA's home page, which is located onthe Internet at www.semichips.org. AUG 1995 - 1.16 SEP 1995 - 1.16 OCT 1995 - 1.16 NOV 1995 -1.13 DEC 1995 - 1.12 JAN 1996 - .92 FEB 1996 - .89 MAR 1996 - .79 APR 1996 - .81 MAY 1996 - .83 JUN 1996 - .88 JULY 1996 - .86(revised) AUG 1996 - .90 (preliminary).SOURCE Semiconductor Industry Association -0- 09/10/96/CONTACT: Jeff Weir or Doug Andrey of the SIA, 408-436-6600/
FYI,
John |