Fab-tool orders flat despite jump in wafer starts
EE Times
(05/23/2005 6:48 PM EDT)
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Front- and back-end bookings in the semiconductor-equipment market were flat in April despite signs of a jump in wafer starts in the June quarter, according to analysts.
As reported last week, North American IC-equipment makers posted a book-to-bill ratio of 0.80 in April, compared to 0.78 in March.
The front-end book-to-bill ratio was 0.77 in April, compared to 0.75 in March, said Avinash Kant, an analyst with investment banking firm Adams Harkness Inc. (Boston), in a report.
Front-end bookings were flat in terms of revenues in April, but they were down 30 in the like period a year ago. Front-end billings were down 3 percent in April and down 1 percent year-over-year.
The back-end book-to-bill came in at 1.00 for April, compared to 0.99 in March, Kant said.
Back-end bookings were up 8 percent in terms of revenues in April, but down 57 in the like period a year ago. Back-end billings were up 7 percent in April but down 49 percent year-over-year.
"Going forward, based on industry data points and the fact that spending patterns at some of the largest capex spenders, such as Samsung, Intel and TSMC, have been first-half loaded, we expect front-end bookings in the second half to be weaker than the first half," Kant said.
"Current utilization rates are well below the 90-95 percent level when capacity buys start to take place," he said.
The news is more positive on the materials front. "We also believe that worldwide wafer starts would stabilize by the June quarter and start to move up there on," he said.
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