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

To: etchmeister who wrote (5550)	10/5/2006 12:04:04 PM
From: Kirk ©	Respond to of 5867

AMAT might finally be "cheap enough" now to be a decent buy... but the same could be said for NVLS... while LRCX is already dirt cheap when you consider it makes about $1 every quarter and should be able to grow or maintain earnings in the soft period given its market share gains.

To: etchmeister who wrote (5550)	10/5/2006 9:54:25 PM
From: Jong Hyun Yoo	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 5867

"If you like LRCX, NVLS and (VSEA) what is left for Applied? LRCX and VSEA probably took AMAT share and NVLS is going after AMAT in PVD and CVD - so what's the "incentive" about AMAT?. I don't believe AMAT made inroads into copper plating - on the other hand AMAT defends its CMP position" I still don't like AMAT compared to LRCX and NVLS. VSEA is a great play on the implant which is growing faster than the overall market due to many new things happening at the transistor level as the devices approach the nanoscale level. AMAT etch is still struggling. Oxide etch market is still not there for AMAT. Ex-LRCX head is leading the group but no signs of turnaround yet. NVLS lost PVD and ECP market share to AMAT somewhat but in my opinion, is poised to win it back. AMAT is now getting into solar area after getting into the fab service business. I don't like both of these business. It could be a drag on the margin. I think Splinter is changing the whole culture of the company. Instead of revolutionary tool maker that changes the way chips are designed, AMAT seems to be assume the role of just following the customers. I don't like the overall approach of the whole company. One thing it is doing right is the buying back the shares with its huge cash position. Reduction of the share count could generate some earning leverage. But increased competitions on fewer available customer base and getting into non-core businesses to increase the total addressable market really bother me. AMAT should not deserve any premium on PE to competitors such as LRCX, NVLS, and VSEA. Realization of this by the investors have made the stock getting nowhere for a while. In my opinion, PE multiple is still compressing ahead of a little downturn that we may run into. We will have to look for the company that will weather this downturn better with improving margin and choose the ones that can provide the most earning leverage as the peak to peak growth of the uptrun revenue is moderating due to several factors. I am working on the investment thesis on NVLS for my social investment group but did not have time to do it because I have been busy with my job. JHY

To: etchmeister who wrote (5550)	10/10/2006 7:35:31 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 5867

Lam Buys Bullen Assets for $175 Million Tuesday October 10, 5:45 pm ET Lam Research Buys Bullen Ultrasonics Fabrication Assets for $175 Million FREMONT, Calif. (AP) -- Semiconductor-manufacturing equipment maker Lam Research Corp. said Tuesday it agreed to buy certain assets from Eaton, Ohio-based Bullen Ultrasonics for $175 million in cash. Under the terms of the agreement, Lam will buy Bullen's fabrication and silicon growing assets, which will become Bullen Semiconductor. It will operate as a division of Lam. Bullen Ultrasonics' other business, in which it operates as a supplier of machining fabrication services, will continue to operate under the Bullen Ultrasonics name. The transaction is expected to close in 30 to 45 days. Shares of Lam Research were trading at $46.90 in the after-hours session, down 11 cents from Tuesday's closing price of $47.01 on the Nasdaq.