Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Math Junkie who wrote (50169)	8/3/2001 2:36:11 PM
From: Dr. Mitchell R. White	Respond to of 70976

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.... M