Mid-quarter update-slightly better outlook than in Jan
Novellus boosts Q1 financial targets
By Chris Kraeuter, CBS.MarketWatch.com
Last Update: 5:31 PM ET Feb. 28, 2002
SAN JOSE, Calif. (CBS.MW) - Novellus boosted its financial targets for the current quarter as the chip equipment maker said late Thursday that it continues to see signs of an industry recovery.
Gross margins are expected to contract, though, due to product mix and timing effects from an accounting change.
CEO Richard Hill said, during a scheduled midquarter update, that the company now expects first-quarter bookings of $130 million to $150 million and a loss of 9 cents a share. Revenue is now targeted for $150 million to $160 million.
At the end of January, Novellus had targeted bookings of $130 million, a per-share loss of 10 cents and revenue of $150 million. Shipments are expected to be $134 million compared with an original target of $130 million.
Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial/First Call had been expecting a loss of 9 cents a share on revenue of $149.5 million, on average.
Hill said there was a "reasonable possibility" that Novellus would be profitable during the second quarter if current business trends continued.
Gross margins are expected to fall to the low-40-percent range from 48.2 percent during the previous quarter. Hill said part of the contraction was due to shipments of latest-generation equipment, which is still not being shipped in enough quantity yet to gain margin leverage.
Gross margin is expected to expand to the mid-40-percent range during the second quarter.
Ahead of the conference call, Novellus (NVLS: news, chart, profile) shares ended down 23 cents to $42.59.
Hill said while the recovery is not broad based, he has fielded more inquiries about products. "We usually see a resumption of quoting before we see a resumption of orders," he said.
Also, he noted customers are requesting shorter delivery times after ordering products and fewer orders are being delayed or cancelled.
On a geographic basis, the U.S. and Asia, excluding Japan, has exhibited strong orders. Japan, Hill said, continues to show weakness.
Deferred revenue is expected to decline in the first quarter and might reflect a slight increase in the second quarter. At the end of the fourth quarter, Novellus had deferred revenue of $140 million. |
