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

To: matt dillabough who wrote (11021)	7/28/2004 9:18:45 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 25522

CHICAGO, Jul 28, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Today Zacks.com releases the names of 4 more stocks that are on their coveted Brokerage Buy List portfolio. This portfolio includes just those stocks that currently appear on the core recommended lists of at least three of the top 15 brokerage firms. These stocks are considered the best large cap stocks to own for the long term according the Wall Streets top players. In 2003 this portfolio gained +28.5% outpacing the SP 500. Here are 4 stocks that are currently members of this prestigious list: Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT), ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), IBM (NYSE:IBM) and Walgreen Company (NYSE:WAG). View the entire list of stocks on the Brokerage Buy List at at.zacks.com Here is a synopsis of why these stocks are on the Brokerage Buy List: Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) is a semiconductor equipment maker that has received nothing but upward earnings estimate revisions over the last couple of months. In late June, the company introduced its breakthrough Applied Quantum(TM) X ion implanter, a single-wafer high-current system that enables transistor scaling to the 65nm node and beyond. "The Quantum X system's breakthrough technology is its Stepscan(TM) single wafer implant processor that provides the process control to perform the most difficult and critical implants required for 65nm and 45nm logic and advanced DRAM manufacturing," said Craig Lowrie, Vice President and General Manager of Applied Materials' Implant division. "Leveraging our production-proven Quantum III beamline, the Quantum X's simple beam optics and short beamline enable faster beam tuning than any single-wafer system available today." In May AMAT reported net sales of $2.02 billion, up +30% from $1.56 billion for the first fiscal quarter of 2004, and up a whopping +82% from $1.11 billion for the second fiscal quarter of 2003. Net income for the second fiscal quarter of 2004 was $373 million, or 22 cents per share, up from a net loss of ($62 million) or (4 cents) per share, for the second fiscal quarter of 2003. New orders of $2.21 billion for the second fiscal quarter of 2004 increased +32% from $1.68 billion for the first fiscal quarter of 2004, and increased an even bigger +128% from $971 million for the second fiscal quarter of 2003. Analysts at four of the top brokerage firms feel the company is a Core Holding for the long-term.

To: matt dillabough who wrote (11021)	7/28/2004 10:52:27 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 25522

UBS also coming out this morning with comments(negative) on the semis....and it sounds like JPM is now espousing the "Cary scenario": biz.yahoo.com Saying it was more conservative on the cycle forecast for the semiconductor capital equipment industry, J.P. Morgan lowered its 2005 capital spending growth rate forecast to 11 percent from 36 percent and cut earnings estimates. "We expect the cycle to be long but with a longer-than-expected period of sluggishness or a pause between waves," said analyst Jay Deahna. "Also, the upside magnitude we previously expected in 2005 peak EPS may be a little lower." He downgraded Applied Materials (NasdaqNM:AMAT - News) , Brooks Automation (NasdaqNM:BRKS - News) , Cymer (NasdaqNM:CYMI - News) and Varian Semiconductor (NasdaqNM:VSEA - News) but upgraded Mattson (NasdaqNM:MTSN - News) and Ultra Clean (NasdaqNM:UCTT - News) . UBS, meanwhile, downgraded the semiconductor and electronic manufacturing services sectors to "underweight" from "equal weight" may also have been pressuring the tech space. The firm said both sectors have heavy operating leverage to consumer spending and is concerned that a slowing of consumer debt growth will reduce demand for consumer discretionary products including consumer electronics.