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Technology Stocks : Applied Materials No-Politics Thread (AMAT) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Fred Levine who wrote (255)	11/2/2001 11:23:45 AM
From: Gottfried	Respond to of 25522

Fred, OT *** copying Acrobat: there's 'text select tool' indicated by a T on the left side of the screen. The T has a smaller square to the right of it. Click it and then you can highlight text for copying. I assume you know to click 'edit' to copy highlighted text. PS: the T may be elsewhere on your machine Gottfried

To: Fred Levine who wrote (255)	11/2/2001 2:52:10 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 25522

TSMC reportedly sold out of 0.18-micron wafers despite IC downturn, sources say By Mark LaPedus Semiconductor Business News (11/02/01 14:06 p.m. EST) SAN JOSE -- While most silicon foundry providers are flat on their backs due to the IC downturn, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) is reportedly sold out of select wafer capacity, especially products based on 0.18-micron technology, according to industry sources. Sources indicated that TSMC is still saddled with a glut of capacity in some trailing-edge 0.25-micron technologies, but the silicon foundry giant cannot keep up with huge OEM demand for its 0.18-micron and other wafer products, according to sources. In particular, TSMC's 0.18-micron wafer capacity appears to be the sweat spot in terms of its foundry demand, sources said. Recently, the company received large but unexpected orders for this technology from ATI, Intel, Nvidia, and others. The events are positive signs for the Hsinchu, Taiwan-based company, analysts said. While TSMC's business is looking up amid the current IC downturn, the company appears to be fairing much better than its competitors--such as Singapore's Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Pte. Ltd. and Taiwan's United Microelectronics Corp.--during the severe slump. Officials from TSMC declined to comment if the company's 0.18-micron capacity is fully booked, nor would they discuss its fab-utilization rates for this technology. The company did say it has experienced greater-than-expected demand for its leading-edge technologies in the fourth quarter."Our capacity utilization at 0.18-micron and below definitely exceeds our utilization guidance for the fourth quarter," said a spokesman for TSMC's U.S. subsidiary in the San Jose. "However, we do have 0.18-micron qualified in several additional fabs," the spokesman said. The company is shifting some 0.18-micron production to undisclosed fabs. "We will be able to handle demand," the spokesman said. For the fourth quarter of 2001, the company recently stated that its fab-utilization rates for 0.18-micron technologies and below would be in the 80% range or so. Overall, however, its fab-utilization rates would only be a few percentage points higher than in the third quarter of 2001. Last month, the company reported its capacity utilization rate dropped to 41% in the third quarter, down slightly from 44% in Q2 but less the decline expected in July. TSMC also reported net sales grew sequentially by 2% to NT$26.94 billion ($792 million) in the third quarter from NT$26.30 billion in the second quarter. The world's largest silicon foundry company said its net income for the third quarter was NT$1.24 billion ($36 million), an improvement from NT$312 million in Q2 (see Oct. 26 story ).