To ALL: Good news for investors in semiconductor industry:
Chip Sales Post Double-Digit Growth
(10/03/97; 2:30 p.m. EDT)
By J. Robert Lineback, Semiconductor Business News
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The 1997 semiconductor recovery continued in August with worldwide chip sales totaling $11.607 billion, a 15.3 percent increase over the same month last year, according to new market data released Friday by the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).
While semiconductor sales were $1.5 billion higher than they were in August 1996, worldwide revenues slipped slightly in the latest reporting period compared with July's $11.608 billion total. Strong demand for semiconductors in the Americas and the Asia-Pacific markets continued the momentum of this year's recovery, which began in May, according to the SIA's Global Sales Report.
"This marks the fourth straight month of strong year-to-year growth for the semiconductor industry," said George Scalise, president of the SIA. "Despite some seasonal sluggishness in the Europe and Japanese markets, all indicators suggest the global industry is growing as we start the fourth quarter."
In August 1996, the chip industry hit the bottom of last year's slump when worldwide sales totaled $10.071 billion. According to data compiled by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization, August and July semiconductor billings were nearly identical in the all four major geographical markets -- Europe, Japan, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas.
"This is particularly good news because sales stayed strong during the peak summer vacation season," Scalise said.
Semiconductor sales were particularly strong in the Americas. Chip sales reached $3.858 billion in August, a 21.3 percent increase over the same month last year when sales totaled $3.179 billion, based on the SIA's three-month rolling average. Compared with July, chip sales were up only 0.4 percent in August in the Americas market. |
