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 : Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Glenn D. Rudolph who wrote (48818)	4/3/1999 11:11:00 AM
From: H James Morris	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 164684

Glenn, off Topic. I'm so excited and I just can't hide it. I'm going to lose control and I think I'll like it:-)). Driving up to LA soon. I have 4 choice tickets for the exhibition Dodger/Yankee tonight @ Dodger stadium. I'm a Dodger fan and my gal is a Yankee fan. This should be fun. Don't you think?? I'm beaming this in for you. If you still like Nvls you should like Amat too. Also buy a little Sfam. Its a little risky but I think its a turn-around play. >>ASSOCIATED PRESS April 3, 1999 MOUNTAIN VIEW -- Despite what seems to be a booming high-tech market worldwide, a new report shows that worldwide shipments of the equipment used to make computer chips fell 21 percent last year. Analysts had expected the drop, which was in part brought on by an oversupply of smaller wafers and a delay in transition of larger wafers. In addition, Asian markets suffered under broad economic struggles. "The totals for 1998 confirm what we knew and felt all year. 1998 was a tough year," said Stanley T. Myers, president of Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International. SEMI represents the businesses that make equipment to make computer chips. Although the products of the $21.8 billion semiconductor equipment market are somewhat obscure -- plasma etch processing chambers, aluminum low pressure seed sources, wafer defect detection tools and more -- they provide the core capabilities behind the emerging Information Age. SEMI reported this week that last year, semiconductor equipment shipments totaled $21.8 billion, down from the $27.6 billion in sales posted in 1997. The Asian markets bore a larger portion of the industry downturn, reflecting last year's financial difficulties. Total semiconductor equipment sales in Korea declined to $1.3 billion, down about half from $2.6 billion in 1997. Shipments in Japan reached $4.7 billion, down 31 percent from the $6.8 billion posted in 1997. The rapid growth of the Taiwan market did carry over somewhat into 1998, with sales reaching $3.3 billion, down 14 percent from $3.8 billion in 1997. Myers said there is an upside. Most segments seemed to hit their low point late in the third quarter and have been steadily improving since. "If there's a silver lining, it's that the industry ended 1998 on an up note and now appears to be stabilizing and headed towards recovery," said Myers. Analysts agree. "We are in the foothills of a long period of growth lasting until 2002," said to Jean-Philippe Dauvin, chief economist for STMicroelectronics. He said that although 1998 was tough, "there is a long way to grow before we reach maturity" in the semiconductor device industry. Applied Materials in Santa Clara, the world's largest supplier of semiconductor equipment and services, was rocked, but not bowled over, by last year's plunge. In August the company said it was going to have to cut its workforce by 15 percent -- about 2,000 employees. But it ended the year with $4.04 billion in revenues, down just slightly from $4.07 billion in 1997. Chairman James Morgan and he's the best now says that the tough times are coming to an end. "We believe the industry is in a recovery stage," he said. Morgan said the prices of memory technology are stabilizing and that customers are shifting to technologies they sell. While large companies have been able to absorb the blow, the difficult year left small firms struggling. "Another year like 1998 and we'd be dead. Finished. Jobless," said Stephanie Renie Harrington at Ready Products Corp. in Irvine. The 15-employee company sells $18,000 microscopes to companies that make equipment to test flat panel displays. In a typical year, they sell about 200 microscopes. Last year they sold about 100, as production at computer chip fabrication facilities in Korea, Taiwan and China drastically ground almost to a halt. Fortunately, said Harrington, this year is looking better. "We're seeing signs of improvement," she said. "We did about as much business in March as we did in three months last year." <Picture> Copyright 1999 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.