Thanks, Richard!
Interesting, and perhaps nontrivial, observation. The last two downturns, AMAT has suffered both voluntary and then involuntary reductions in force (RIF). The announcements of the involuntary actions have always been simultaneous with (and indeed, a part of) the third-quarter financial information release.
I don't have any special information, but I would suspect that we'll see the same thing again this time. Especially if AMAT only puts up $0.02 for the EPS this quarter, as Thomson First Call estimates. (For those of you following along at home, that would be a 97% reduction in earnings y/y.) Okay, so it's not a loss. It's not real purty either. <g>
Let's face it, almost every earnings report this season has included "layoffs," "downsizing," "RIFs" and the like. I don't see AMAT escaping with a whole skin on this, especially given their historical predelictions....
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