Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Semi-Equips - Buy when BLOOD is running in the streets! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ian@SI who wrote (4485)	1/17/1998 9:21:00 PM
From: Mark Oliver	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 10921

That's a shame as ESIO moved from your low of $16 to around $63 before the recent drop due to Asian Flu. I believe $16 was a trade at book value. At the time, I was also a bit worried as I had bought in around $24 and didn't like the dip to mid teens either, but had a chance to visit their booth at Semicon West and liked what I saw. It would seem that their laser repair products can actually work with many types of chips, but the DRAM makers are the most interested market. Seems like these machines are an absolute must for any production or 64 and larger memory chips and probably a great investment for 16's also. It also seems to be a proven success at accomplishing the prescribed job. As you say though, the business would not be so interesting if it was only a one hit wonder. Last year, it looked the the other businesses were in decline, but that seems to have changed with new products and resurging demand from the basic industries. They seem to dominate all their markets and now, it's a question of whether the whole world demand is falling off, or will we see them weather this storm. I surely don't want to sell at this point, but am undecided whether to buy more. Very tempting. I'm still holding another one who dipped and never recovered, Genus. The make front end equipment that competes with AMAT and Eaton. Looks like they are going to have a very hard time. Over 80% of sales are to Korean DRAM makers. They had some promising sales to AMD which used it for K6 line, but so far sales have not taken off. There is a chance the have a CVD product that would be interesting for Copper, but then again it's so hard for such a small company to compete. They are trading below book value and I wonder if there is anything to save this investment? I would think they would be a good aquisition. Anyway, their products are really too complex for me to properly evaluate. Always a bad idea for investing. Regards, Mark