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Technology Stocks : Lam Research (LRCX, NASDAQ): To the Insiders -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Kirk © who wrote (4864)6/26/2003 10:26:05 AM
From: Proud_Infidel  Respond to of 5867
 
May chip equipment orders up in Japan, says report
Semiconductor Business News
(06/26/03 09:19 a.m. EST)

TOKYO -- Orders for Japanese semiconductor equipment rose 35 percent in May from April to 98.8 billion yen (about $840 million), but down 11.8 percent on the same month last year, according to a Reuters report.

However, the book-to-bill ratio jumped sharply to 1.04, up from 0.78 in April, the report quoted the the Semiconductor Association of Japan saying.

Within Japan the situation was stronger, according to the report. Orders placed by Japanese chipmakers, including imported equipment, rose 31.5 percent from the previous month, 88.2 percent year-on-year, and the book-to-bill ratio rose to 1.43 from 1.15, the report said.



To: Kirk © who wrote (4864)7/10/2003 10:02:30 AM
From: Proud_Infidel  Respond to of 5867
 
J.P. Morgan today upgrades Lam from Underweight to Neutral, after a nearly four-fold rise in price off the bottom. I suppose they will issue a Strong Buy after it has quadrupled from here! Criminals.



To: Kirk © who wrote (4864)7/23/2003 4:17:34 PM
From: Proud_Infidel  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 5867
 
Lam Research Corporation Announces 2003 Fourth Quarter Earnings
FREMONT, Calif., July 23, 2003--Lam Research Corporation (Nasdaq: LRCX) today announced earnings for the fourth quarter and year ended June 29, 2003. Revenue for the June 2003 quarter was $186.1 million, and net income was $3.7 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $187.1 million and net income of $0.8 million, or $0.01 per diluted share, for the March 2003 quarter.

The Company believes the presentation of ongoing results, which excludes the effects of significant net tax benefits and net restructuring charges, is useful for analyzing the business because it better enables comparisons for ongoing operations and removes the effects of expense recognition connected with our outsourcing strategy and consolidation. Tables that provide reconciliations of ongoing results to results under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) are included. Ongoing net income in the June 2003 quarter was $2.5 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, versus ongoing net income of $3.8 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, for the March 2003 quarter.

New orders of $192 million in the June 2003 quarter reached levels recorded in the prior quarter; the geographic distribution of new orders as well as revenue is shown in the following table:

Ongoing gross margin for the June 2003 quarter was $76.5 million, or 41.1 percent of revenue, a sequential improvement from 40.2 percent of revenue. The improved performance includes the contribution of our outsourcing strategy and other cost reduction initiatives. Ongoing operating expenses were $74.9 million compared to $72.2 million in the March 2003 quarter, the result of an increased number of working days and higher employee compensation costs. Production output for the period was approximately $175 million.

Owing to focused asset management initiatives, operating cash generation in the period was approximately $32 million, driving total cash (cash equivalents, short-term investments, and restricted cash) up $41 million to $626 million at the end of the fiscal year.

"The results for the June quarter highlighted our progress on a number of key metrics," stated James W. Bagley, Lam's chairman and chief executive officer. "Notably, our market share gains in dielectric etch and 300 mm contributed to a positive book-to-bill in a difficult business environment. In addition, our outsourcing initiatives and cost reduction efforts continue to improve our gross margin," continued Bagley.

"Lam employees have made significant contributions to our success, and their efforts have resulted in a suite of compelling products and services for our customers, and increasing returns for our shareholders," Bagley concluded.

Statements made in this press release which are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are subject to the safe harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements relate, but are not limited, to future market conditions (including market share gains), ongoing reductions in operating expenses, and the Company's future financial performance, ability to deliver customer solutions and shareholder returns.

Such statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and changes in condition, significance, value and effect as well as other risks detailed in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including specifically the reports on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2002, and the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 30, 2003, which could cause actual results to vary from expectations. The Company undertakes no obligation to update the information or statements made in this press release.

Lam Research Corporation is a leading supplier of wafer processing equipment and services to the worldwide semiconductor manufacturing industry. The Company's common stock trades on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "LRCX." Lam's World Wide Web address is lamrc.com.



To: Kirk © who wrote (4864)8/14/2003 3:39:24 PM
From: Proud_Infidel  Respond to of 5867
 
Lam goes after component copycats

The replacement parts market for capital equipment rarely hits the headlines unless litigation is involved. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s), especially in downturns, see the replacement parts business as an essential revenue generator, customer satisfaction monitor and a good platform for outright new tool sales come the next upturn.
Lam Research Corporation is the latest to announce that they are filing a suit for patent infringement, against Schunk Semiconductor and its subsidiary Xycarb Ceramics for their alleged unauthorized sale and distribution of replacement electrodes used in Lam's plasma etch reactors. Filed in the
United States District Court for the Northern District of California, based in San Francisco the complaint alleges infringement of Lam's U.S. Patent No. 5,074,456 entitled "Composite Electrode for Plasma Processes". This is to prevent Schunk/Xycarb from manufacturing, selling, or distributing the infringing product.
" We are aggressively protecting our investment in the intellectual property rights of our proprietary replacement parts worldwide," said Jim Goodrich, Senior Director of Materials for the Customer Support Business Group at Lam. "Lam makes significant investments in the development of new technologies and materials to support our customers through improved tool and part performance. We are confident that the court will uphold our patent rights," Goodrich concluded.
Lam owns additional patents in multiple jurisdictions, including the United States, Korea, Japan, and Europe, covering a wide variety of electrode assemblies and other proprietary replacement parts, the company reported.

semiconductorfabtech.com



To: Kirk © who wrote (4864)8/22/2003 3:47:28 PM
From: Proud_Infidel  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 5867
 
Novellus exec says valuation holds up Lam deal
Friday August 22, 3:03 pm ET
By Daniel Sorid

SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug 22 (Reuters) - Microchip-making tool maker Novellus Systems Inc. (NasdaqNM:NVLS - News) has its sights set on acquisitions, but at least one potential deal -- with Lam Research Corp. (NasdaqNM:LRCX - News) -- has gotten hung up on disagreements about valuation and how to combine management, Novellus President Peter Hanley said in an interview.
"It has fit for years," Hanley told Reuters in an interview at the company's headquarters in San Jose, California, on Thursday, referring to a deal with Lam. "Clearly, we view ourselves as one of the companies that could be a consolidator in this industry."

He said a combination of disagreements on valuation and a combined company's leadership structure has made such a deal, long expected by analysts, a challenge to complete.

"If you can't agree on the valuation, it's hard to do," he said.

Novellus and Lam build complementary chip-building equipment, with that of Novellus depositing materials on silicon wafers and Lam's etching materials off. They also share a rivalry with Applied Materials Inc. (NasdaqNM:AMAT - News), the dominant semiconductor equipment producer.

Hanley also said a partnership has become more difficult because Lam and Novellus have begun to compete with one another in the market for polishing equipment, known as CMP.

"Both of us have a CMP business," he said. "That strains the relationship a little bit, but it doesn't make it hostile."

Novellus has made a few major acquisitions in recent years, including the purchase of SpeedFam-IPEC Inc. in 2002 and Gasonics International Corp. in 2001.



To: Kirk © who wrote (4864)10/8/2003 10:38:56 AM
From: Proud_Infidel  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 5867
 
9:47AM Lam Research seen posting bookings upside in SeptQ (LRCX) 25.80 +0.07: American Technology Research's recent checks indicate LRCX will likely report stronger than expected bookings in the Sept. quarter and give an upbeat outlook for 2004 based on the beginnings of strong investments by the DRAM chipmakers. Firm notes, however, that revenues and EPS are likely to be inline at $184 mln and $0.02, respectively reflecting the flat bookings growth from prior quarters.