The Semiconductor Equipment and Materials industry was a hotbed of mergers and acquisitions last year. With competition picking up, and margins getting squeezed, several industry heavyweights looked towards mergers to create cost synergies. The Bedford Report examines the outlook for companies in the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials industry and provides equity research on Applied Materials, Inc. and Lam Research Corporation . Access to the full company reports can be found at:
www.bedfordreport.com/AMAT
www.bedfordreport.com/LRCX
Last month the semiconductor equipment maker Lam Research Corp. agreed to buy rival Novellus Systems Inc. for $3.3 billion in stock. Lam said that the acquisition will help it cultivate more advanced chip making technology and increase its revenue faster than either company could on its own. The company also expects it to speed up its earnings growth.