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

To: Jong Hyun Yoo who wrote (5157)	1/25/2003 9:19:41 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 25522

Jong, It's been awhile....great to hear from you. I assume that you have been adding to your LRCX position? Keep us informed of any developments in the industry as well as you are able. This has been a long 3 years for those long this sector, but hopefully we are on our way to a sustained recovery. We deserve it:-) Brian

To: Jong Hyun Yoo who wrote (5157)	1/25/2003 9:41:20 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 25522

Micron fab could ramp quickly for 300-mm wafers By Jack Robertson EBN (01/24/03 06:08 p.m. EST) Micron Technology Chairman Steve Appleton told financial analysts Friday that a 300mm-wafer pilot line at its Manassas, Va. fab is already producing test wafers on 0.11-micron process technology, and the fab could be equipped, if needed, to run 40K 300mm wafers a month. At full 300mm wafer capacity and 0.11-micron processing, the Virginia fab production would be equal to 45% of Micron's total current worldwide chip output, he added. The Micron chief said the firm has no plans yet to move into full 300mm wafer production at the fab acquired from Toshiba Corp. in late 2001. However, he added that Micron could move quickly when it felt the time was right and could have a 300mm production fab with a capacity as great as any of its competitors. Micron also has fab shells at Lehi, Utah that have long been planned for 300mm production at some time in the future. Appleton said Micron's capital investment for now is focused on transitioning its fabs around the world to 0.11-micron processing. Mark Durcan, vice president of R&D and chief technology officer, said 50% of all Micron production in Q4'03 will be at the 0.11-micron node, moving up to 65%-to-70% by Q1'04. The company told analysts that 70% of its $1 billion capex budget for its current fiscal year ending in August has already been spent in the 0.11-micron transition and initial 300mm wafer line in Virginia. "The capital spending in the third and fourth (fiscal quarters) will be substantially reduced," said Bill Stover, vice president of finance. Micron's cash balance on hand is now between $750 million and $800 million, according to the financial executive. Even with additional capital spending for the remainder of the fiscal year, Appleton projected that the cash balance would not fall below what the company considered a minimum $500 million level. Stover said Micron's total debt was $500 million, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 8%. Durcan said the chipmaker had significantly reduced capex by being able to extend its present 248-nm lithography tools down to the next generation 0.11-micron process. Appleton believed Micron would be ahead of most of its DRAM competitors in ramping up 0.11-micron processing. However, in retrospect, he conceded that the memory firm was late in implementing 0.13-micron process technology which led to a slower ramp of DDR chips. He blamed the delay on focusing too heavily on moving to 0.11-micron technology and to unsettled capital spending while Micron was involved in the abortive negotiations to acquire Hynix Semiconductor fabs. He said the late 0.13-micron technology ramp also was due to concentrating chip design efforts at the 0.11-micron node. Appleton said Micron has since transitioned to 0.13-micron processing with 75% of worldwide production now at the new chip node.