AUG. 20–SAN JOSE, Calif.–North American-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $763 million in orders in July 2003 (three-month average basis) and a book-to-bill ratio of 0.97, according to the July 2003 Express Report published today by SEMI.

A book-to-bill of 0.97 means that $97 worth of new orders were received for every $100 of product billed for the month.

The three-month average of worldwide bookings in July 2003 was $763 million. The bookings figure is six percent above the revised June 2003 level of $722 million and 35 percent below the $1.18 billion in orders
posted in July 2002.

The three-month average of worldwide billings in July 2003 was $788 million. The billings figure is one percent above the revised June 2003 level of $777 million and 19 percent below the July 2002 billings level of $969 million.

“Bookings grew for the first time since the March report due to improved order levels of wafer processing equipment,” said Stanley Myers, president
and CEO of SEMI. “The total semiconductor capital equipment sector remains on course to experience modest growth in 2003.”

The SEMI book-to-bill is a ratio of three-month moving average bookings to three-month moving average billings for the North American semiconductor
equipment industry. Billings and bookings figures are in millions of U.S. dollars.