Hi Bud,
How about some KLIC with your coffee?
Kulicke & Soffa's Kulicke on Profit, Chip Demand: Comment
San Jose, California, July 13 (Bloomberg) -- Kulicke & Soffa Industries Inc. Chief Executive Scott Kulicke comments on coming profit at the biggest maker of semiconductor-assembly tools, demand for chips and higher spending by Japanese chipmakers.
Kulicke made his remarks in an interview at Semicon West, the chip-equipment industry's largest trade show, in San Jose, California.
On fiscal third-quarter profit, to be reported this month:
``We won't disappoint anybody.''
On growth during the next fiscal year:
``Early impressions from the planning process: The rate of growth will clearly moderate, but we expect sequential growth through all four quarters next year.''
On concerns that demand for chips is slowing:
``We're realists. The semiconductor cycle will end; it always does. Yes, we're all surprised at the length and robustness of this cycle. (Salomon Smith Barney analyst Jonathan) Joseph is correct in identifying how the cycle will end: It will be self- inflicted by the industry because of over-investment in capacity. The issue is when, and I think he's wrong about the when (because of the) unbelievably strong demand, the historic under-investment of the industry and the length of time it takes to add a greenfield (new plant). It will not be in 2001.''
``We're strong in all regions. Taiwan is probably the strongest, but nowhere is it weak. Historically, we've had a low share (in Japan), but we're taking share in Japan. We're doing business there at a record rate for us.''
On threats from new packaging technologies:
``It's not about the package configuration. Kulicke & Soffa stands in the void between the wafer and the (printed circuit) board, and whatever the customer needs to transfer the power of silicon chips onto a system, we're going to try to provide it. We're not particularly dogmatic about how they put chips into the systems.''
Jul/13/2000
Fred |
