AllThingsD » seasonal patterns

Semiconductor Industry Ends Disaster Preparedness Drills

John Paczkowski — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:17:25 +0000

2009 semiconductor sales are down from 2008 by nearly record amounts, but they’re improving. That’s the latest word from the Semiconductor Industry Association, which said today that global chip sales rose in September from the previous month–the seventh straight month of gains.

Third-quarter chip sales totaled $61.9 billion, down 10.1 percent from the same quarter last year, but up nearly 20 percent from the second quarter of 2009. No doubt about it, the market for chips is improving (see chart below; click to enlarge).

“Global semiconductor sales in the third quarter were above expectations,” SIA President George Scalise said in a statement. “September sales were in line with historical patterns, reflecting increased demand from end-users as they began the build for the holiday season.”

“Amid signs that we are in the early stages of recovery in the global economy,” Scalise added, “semiconductor sales continue to reflect normal seasonal patterns. Sales are running well ahead of the worst-case scenarios projected early in the year, and we are optimistic that total sales for 2009 will be better than our mid-year forecast.”

Sales are running well ahead of the worst-case scenarios? Well, I suppose any reassurance is a good one when your industry is down 10 percent year-over-year.

Intel CEO: The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Squint Just Slightly

John Paczkowski — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:28:16 +0000

“The worst is now behind us.” Intel (INTC) CEO Paul Otellini made that brave statement back in April. And not a month later, it seems to be proving true. Commenting on Intel’s business during an event for financial analysts Tuesday, Otellini said, “Looking at order patterns, billings patterns, it’s a little better than expected.”

A little better than expected.

Not the most exuberant of pronouncements, but when you’re coming off a first quarter in which profit fell 55 percent, it’s cause for a little optimism. Especially, since Otellini says demand is slowly slipping back into its seasonal patterns. “We will see seasonality in the second half,” he said. “I’m getting increasingly comfortable that the dip here is not as aggressive as they are showing.”

Intel CEO: The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Squint Just Slightly

John Paczkowski — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:28:16 +0000

A little better than expected.

Intel Q1 Revenues $7.1B, EPS 11 Cents, Gross Margin 45.6 Percent; Projects Q2 Revs Flat With Q1, Gross Margins in Mid-40s

Eric Savitz — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:30:29 +0000

Intel (INTC) this afternoon posted Q1 revenue of $7.1 billion, a bit ahead of both the Street consensus of $6.98 billion and the company’s unofficial guidance of $7 billion. Profits of 11 cents a share were well ahead of the Street consensus of 3 cents.

“We believe PC sales bottomed out during the first quarter and that the industry is returning to normal seasonal patterns,” Intel CEO Paul Otellini said in a statement.

Several factors apparently contributed to the better-than-expected profits:

Restructuring and asset impairment charges were $74 million, below the expected $160 million.
Net loss from equity investments, interest and other was $18 million, below the expected $130 million, largely due to “the strengthened market for certain debt instruments” at the end of the quarter.

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