North American semiconductor equipment industry posts April 2011 book-to-bill ratio of 0.98

SAN JOSE, USA: North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $1.60 billion in orders in April 2011 (three-month average basis) and a book-to-bill ratio of 0.98, according to the April Book-to-Bill Report published today by SEMI. A book-to-bill of 0.98 means that $98 worth of orders were received for every $100 of product billed for the month.

The three-month average of worldwide bookings in April 2011 was $1.60 billion. The bookings figure is 1.1 percent more than the final March 2011 level of $1.58 billion, and is 10.8 percent above the $1.44 billion in orders posted in April 2010.

The three-month average of worldwide billings in April 2011 was $1.63 billion. The billings figure is 1.6 percent less than the final March 2011 level of $1.66 billion, and is 27.4 percent more than the April 2010 billings level of $1.28 billion.

“The continued pace of orders for new semiconductor manufacturing equipment coupled with a slight decline in billings moves the book-to-bill ratio toward parity,” said Daniel Tracy, senior director of Industry Research and Statistics at SEMI. “Current order and spending activity is aligned with announced 2011 capex plans.”Source: SEMI, USA.