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Technology Stocks : Semi Equipment Analysis -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: StanX Long who wrote (13425)	2/19/2004 11:40:41 PM
From: StanX Long	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 95720

Nanometrics Sees Sales Grow, Red Ink Shrink Online Staff -- Electronic News, 2/19/2004 Metrology tech supplier Nanometrics Inc. today reported that its Q4 revenues of $12.4 million jumped 22 percent sequentially and 27 percent year over year. The growth in sales came from stronger demand for semiconductor process control metrology equipment, primarily from Pacific Rim countries, according to Milpitas, Calif.-based Nanometrics said. The company has recently inked deals with Japanese tool vendors Ebara and Dainippon Screen to supply those companies with integrated metrology modules. Nanometrics nevertheless posted a net loss for the quarter of $804,000 or 7 cents per diluted share. It narrowed its losses from a year ago, when it posted a loss of $3.2 million, or 27 cents per diluted share. For all of 2003 the company's revenues increased 20 percent to $41.6 million, producing a net loss of $17.5 million, or $1.45 per diluted share. This compares to a net loss of $8.3 million, or 70 cents per share, in 2002. The net loss in 2003 includes a $6 million charge to record a valuation allowance against deferred income tax assets. Nanometrics finished the year with cash and equivalents and short-term investments of $29.9 million and working capital of $59.2 million. In other Nanometrics news, the company reported earlier this week that it would supply Lam Research Corp. with an integrated metrology module. Lam has integrated a Nanometrics' NanoOCD/DUV 9010b film thickness mapping module into a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) tool for post copper CMP erosion, oxide thickness and residue measurements. The NanoOCD/DUV 9010b has been qualified by Lam for monitoring of dielectric film thickness, erosion and copper residue. A Lam customer specifically requested the integrated metrology capability, according to Nanometrics. The NanoOCD 9010 combines both ultra violet optical critical dimension (OCD) spectroscopic ellipsometry and deep ultra violet (DUV) spectroscopic reflectometry.