September 19, 2003 – National Semiconductor CEO Brian Halla said customers are placing orders at a “healthy” pace, but he stopped short of acknowledging the arrival of an industry recovery, according to Reuters.

Halla, speaking at the Banc of America Securities investor conference in San Francisco, said he expects holiday and back-to-school shopping for consumer electronics, particularly notebook PCs, displays, and handsets, to boost 3Q revenue growth.

However, he carefully worded his opinion as to the status of the industry’s rebound, saying “the actions of our OEMs would indicate there is a recovery.”