The Wall Street Transcript Publishes Semiconductor
Equipment CEO Interviews in SEMInvest 2000 Special Issue
NEW YORK, March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Four leading analysts and eighteen members of top management examine the Semiconductor Equipment sector in this 78-page SEMInvest 2000 Special Issue available at twst.com or by calling The Wall Street Transcript (212) 952-7433.
In a vital review of this evolving sector for investors and industry professionals, this valuable 78-page issue features:
1) Sixteen extensive (average 2,100 words) Interviews with top management from Semiconductor Equipment firms discussing the outlook for their firm and the semiconductor sector. For a complete list of CEO interviews see twst.com
Applied Materials (Nasdaq: AMAT - news) CFO Joseph Bronson outlines the goals for the company over the next few years: ``We intend to continue to grow the company and believe that over the next several years we could be somewhere in the area of $15 billion in size by continuing to be a major driver of the Information Age with a larger suite of products and services.'
Robert Akins, CEO of Cymer (Nasdaq: CYMI - news), comments on his company's focus: ``The trends in the industry will require light source providers to have multiple generations of light source development under way at any given point in time, and at all times. Cymer is at the beginning of the development chain, so we currently have four separate generations of light sources under development.'
Donald VanLuvanee, CEO of Electro Scientific Industries (Nasdaq: ESIO - news), comments on the growth of his company and its area of focus in the semiconductor sector. ``Today we're approaching $300 million in sales and have gone from a measurement company to a manufacturer of equipment for electronic manufacturing. We span the gamut from equipment for manufacturing passive components like miniature surface-mount capacitors, to advanced surface-mount circuit boards and semi-conductor packages.'
GaSonics International (Nasdaq: GSNX - news) CEO Asuri Raghavan enumerates the current trends and developments in the industry: ``First, there is a significant capacity expansion going on worldwide, so we are fully benefiting from that expansion. The second trend is the move toward .18 micron technology in a big way. The third development is the use of new materials. Copper, we believe, is going to be very important, closely followed by low k dielectrics. Finally, I think the fourth important trend is the move to 300 millimeter wafers.'
Martin Reid, CEO of Ibis Technology Corporation (Nasdaq: IBIS - news), comments on the product development: ``We finished a stock offering in August 1999 and as a result, raised 25.5 million dollars. This will be used to develop our next generation Ibis 2000, a 200 and 300 millimeter SIMOX-SOI machine. It will take approximately 24 months to develop.'
CEO Brad Mattson of Mattson Technology (Nasdaq: MTSN - news) believes that the increasing cost of fabs is a major change to be dealt with in the marketplace. ``The real major change that's going on now is a shift from being only technically-driven, which was the trend for the last 10 to 20 years, to being technology -- and productivity- driven. The trend is changing because the cost of new fabs is getting incredibly expensive.'
Photon Dynamics (Nasdaq: PHTN - news) CEO Vincent Sollitto discusses the company's growth rate, ``Analysts estimate that we should be growing in the 55 to 60% range, and I think that's an aggressive number, but if I look back at the semiconductor equipment companies, where they were 20 years ago is kind of where we are now and their growth for the first five years averaged 50% and that's certainly the challenge that I've given to my team.'
Paul McLaughlin, CEO of Rudolph Technologies (Nasdaq: RTEC - news), explains, ``Our typical customers are chip manufacturers ... Our customer base is worldwide. Our customer base is very strong in the foundry business. Those are companies that manufacture chips on a contractual basis.'
For a free interview excerpt in which CEO Paul McLaughlin highlights Rudolph's biggest single opportunity, see twst.com
Semitool (Nasdaq: SMTL - news) CEO Raymon Thompson discusses the advantages of the Capsule© plater's cleaning capability: ``It does a wrap-around clean. It cleans all measurable levels of copper not only from the backside of the wafer, but also around the edge right up to the copper plating on the device side of the wafer.'
Papken Der Torossian, CEO of Silicon Valley Group (Nasdaq: SVGI - news), explains, ``There is tremendous expansion going on in eight-inch factories with new sub-quarter micron (.18 micron and .15 micron) technology and the industry is up almost 25 to 30% above last year in terms of business conditions. Now, once we transition to finer line widths, over, I would say, the next 12 to 18 months, then the 300 millimeter or 12-inch wafer technology is going to come in, which is going to carry us for some time.'
Tegal (Nasdaq: TGAL - news) CEO Michael Parodi explains the company's market position, ``We are focused on market segments where we see large potential for future growth, for example in the FRAM market we presently command 80% to 90% market share. We're focusing on delivering equipment and process solutions to customers whose product demand is driven by the exploding global digital electronics revolution.'
For a free interview excerpt in which Tegal CEO Michael Parodi outlines the competitive landscape, see twst.com
Thomas Newman, Jr., VP of Corporate Relations at Teradyne (NYSE: TER - news), discusses the company's growth: ``According to Prime Research Group, Teradyne went from about 29% in the number one position of a $3.2-billion market in 1998 to, on a preliminary basis, 31% of a $3.8-billion market in 1999. We, therefore, increased our position as the number one supplier of Semi Test equipment, in a high-growth market.'
This 78-page SEMInvest Conference 2000 Issue also features:
2) Semiconductor Equipment - An in-depth (15,200 word ) Analyst Roundtable featuring leading experts; Susan Billat, Managing Director with Robertson Stephens, Robert Maire, Managing Director at Bear Stearns, Michael O'Brien, Managing Director with Wit Soundview, and Theodore O'Neill, Principal with Needham & Company, examine the outlook for Semiconductor Equipment in this timely and informative interview from The Wall Street Transcript.
To obtain a copy of this insightful issue, see twst.com or call 212-952-7433. This special section is also included in the TECHNOLOGY Sector of TWST Online at twst.com
The Wall Street Transcript is a premier weekly investment publication interviewing market professionals for serious investors for over 36 years. At twst.com TWST Online provides more than 1500 free Interview excerpts. For highlights, recent recommendations by analysts and money managers and business news, visit twst.com
Do a free search of the extensive TWST Archives at archive.twst.com
The Wall Street Transcript does not endorse the views of any interviewee nor does it make stock recommendations.
SOURCE: Wall Street Transcript
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
