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

To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (8511)	1/20/2004 2:31:41 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 25522

IC-equipment book-to-bill expected to hit 1.08 By Mark LaPedus Silicon Strategies 01/20/2004, 2:10 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO--The book-to-bill ratio for North American chip-equipment makers is expected to hit 1.08 for December of 2003, up from 1.04 in November, according to estimates from American Technology Research Inc. today (January 20, 2004). The Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) trade group is expected to release the official book-to-bill results for U.S. chip-equipment makers later today. North American-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted a book-to-bill ratio of 1.04 in November, up from 1.01 in October of 2003, according to SEMI (see December 18, 2003 story). The fab-tool market is expected to maintain its momentum. "We expect the U.S. semi equipment December book-to-bill ratio to continue to show strong growth when the results are released today after close of market," said Bill Ong, who tracks the chip-equipment market for American Technology Research in San Francisco. "Recall that the BTB ratio broke parity last October at 1.01 and increased further in November at 1.04," Ong said in the report. "We expect the December BTB ratio to be around 1.08 with considerably higher levels from the back-end tool makers, as was evidenced by last weeks 45 percent sequential bookings growth from Teradyne," he said. "We expect a string of solid positive news from the semi equipment companies with Lam Research and KLA-Tencor to report 20 percent plus orders for the quarter and 15-20 percent bookings guidance for the March quarter on Jan. 21 and 22, respectively," he said. "Indeed, Lam's CEO Jim Bagley, widely respected among the investment community, is likely to provide order visibility through 2004 and a very bullish tone on the recovery," he said. "We reiterate our buy rating on the group with our continued focus on the small cap companies such as Mattson, Asyst, and Kulicke & Soffa."