Why put lipstick on a pig? LRCX has been a terrifically well run company. It's been a great stock too. But to refuse to give guidance is a red flag just like you know it is.
Why did LRCX fall after delivering their last report? It's simple institutional investors are concerned that orders will fall in the future.
In 2002 companies were saying we have no visibility. I believe that we are headed in that direction again. INTC has lowered capex now twice. CMOS had orders cancelled. Who is to say that LRCX is not afraid to give guidance because no matter how good their current equipment orders may be or how much equipment being built but that has not yet been delivered some business may fall through of actually billed orders at some point in the not too distant future.
Here's one report on LRCX from the day they reported:
yahoo.reuters.com
SAN FRANCISCO, July 19 (Reuters) - Lam Research Corp. (LRCX.O: Quote, Profile, Research), a supplier of tools for making microchips, posted a higher quarterly profit on Wednesday that topped Wall Street forecasts as the company's market share grew.
But the company's shares fell 3 percent in after-hours trading, something one analyst attributed to potentially lower bookings in December from the previous quarter and fears of capital spending cuts from Intel Corp. (INTC.O: Quote, Profile, Research). Intel is the world's biggest chip maker.
"They talked about December quarter bookings likely to be down quarter to quarter," said Bill Ong, an analyst at American Technology Research. "Capital spending plan cuts from Intel could be driving the stock down as well."
Net profit for Lam's fourth fiscal quarter, ended June 25, was $122.1 million, or 84 cents per share, compared with $66.5 million, or 47 cents per share a year earlier.
Excluding special charges, Lam said it earned $139 million, or 96 cents per share.
On that basis, Lam had been expected to earn $121.2 million, or 84 cents per share, according to the average analyst forecast on Reuters Estimates.
Lam's revenue was $525.6 million, up from the $353.8 million a year earlier and above the average estimate of $507.1 million.
The company's shares fell 3 percent to $43.61 on Inet after rising nearly 6 percent to close at $44.94 on Nasdaq.
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