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A service of Semiconductor Business News, CMP Media Inc.
Story posted at 6:30 a.m. EDT/3:30 a.m. PDT, 5/19/97
Chip equipment book-to-bill at 1.13 with shipment growth
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- Orders and shipments of semiconductor production equipment from North American suppliers grew again in April, according to new industry figures release by Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI). The trade group's book-to-bill ratio slipped slightly to 1.13 in April compared to a revised ratio of 1.18 for March because shipments grew at a stronger pace than new orders.
"This is a perfect example of why it is important to look at the numbers behind the numbers when analyzing the book-to-bill report results," said Elizabeth Schumann, senior market analyst for SEMI
in Mountain View. "Monthly shipments reported by North American semiconductor equipment suppliers grew at a faster rate than corresponding monthly orders, resulting in a lower book-to-bill ratio. Yet on a month-over-month basis, shipments and orders of semiconductor equipment were both higher in April than in March. So, while the book-to-bill is lower, the industry is in fact healthier."
Total semiconductor equipment orders last month increased 9.2% from the prior month, to $1.42 billion, SEMI reported. Bookings for April were up about 4% above the same month in 1996.
Total semiconductor equipment shipped by North American suppliers in April increased 13.6% above the March level, reaching $1.25 billion. Last month's shipments were about 7% below levels recorded in April 1996. The SEMI book-to-bill is a ratio of three-month moving average bookings to three-month moving average shipments. Shipments and bookings figures are three-month moving averages in U.S. dollars in millions.
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