Dec. 19, 2002 – San Jose, CA – North American-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $779 million in orders in November 2002 (three-month average basis) and a book-to-bill ratio of 0.79, according to the November 2002 Express Report published by Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI).

A book-to-bill of 0.79 means that $79 worth of new orders were received for every $100 of product billed for the month.

The three-month average of worldwide bookings in November 2002 was $779 million. The bookings figure is slightly above the revised October 2002 level of $775 million, and 32 percent above the $589 million in orders posted in November 2001.

The three-month average of worldwide billings in November 2002 was $991 million. The billings figure is one percent below the revised October 2002 level of $1.0 billion and 21 percent above the November 2001 billings level of $817 million.

“The current booking levels, down from highs earlier in the year, reflect the uncertainty facing the semiconductor industry as the New Year approaches, although the overall mood in the industry is that conditions will improve in 2003,” said Stanley Myers, president and CEO of SEMI. “Following two years of severe contraction, the industry consensus is that the worldwide capital equipment market will grow 15 percent in 2003.”