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To: Nevada who wrote (2814)	10/27/1998 6:27:00 PM
From: Investor2	Respond to of 3696

Re: "The positive for the company is that they have lots of cash to burn and no debt to speak of." I noticed that the cash and equivalents is $25 million lower than on 12/31/97 and the inventory is $7 million higher. Best wishes, I2

To: Nevada who wrote (2814)	10/27/1998 8:38:00 PM
From: MrGreenJeans	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 3696

Are these the Right Questions? How quick does their product become obsolete? What are they currently manufacturing, given that they already have a years sales in stock? One is not buying / investing in this company based on products on hand and debating whether or not these products are obsolete. Let us assume for a moment their product line as it now stands is obsolete. As an investor, looking towards the immediate future, my only concern is this: are their new potential products U Beam and P Gild marketable when the semiconductor industry turns and will they be prepared to come to market with these technological superior products (assuming they are superior). If they are I will profit, if not I will not. Your Comments...

To: Nevada who wrote (2814)	10/28/1998 12:54:00 AM
From: Ian@SI	Respond to of 3696

N, Both the P-GILD and the V2000 are new tools for which production is now ramping up. The first V2000 sold for 6.8M. I suspect that the PGILD will command at least that price... These tools are substantially more expensive than other equipment sold by UTEK. I believe it's impossible to introduce new products or to sell greater volumes of existing products without increasing raw materials, WIP and finished goods. Calculating the ratio when Revenue is reaching for a bottom and ramp up of new products is reaching a peak may mislead anyone looking at the ratio alone. I would need to hear that PLAB plans to ship its V2000 back before I'd get concerned about this. ... or if Art couldn't find a beta test site for the first P-GILD, I'd probably sell real quick. But to hear that they're getting ready to ramp up revenues, that sounds very good to me. FWIW, Ian.