With the holiday season demand kicking in, semiconductor sales for September increased 5.0 percent from August 2007 when sales were $21.5 billion. Sales for September reached $22.6 billion, according to new figures from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). 

“The increase in worldwide sales of 13.2 percent from the prior quarter reflects historic patterns as the holiday season build began,” said SIA President George Scalise. “Demand from the consumer products sector was very robust as sales of semiconductors for traditional consumer applications rose by 35 percent quarter-to-quarter. The two largest demand drivers for semiconductors – PCs and cell phones – continued to show healthy growth.”

Third-quarter sales of $67.8 billion increased 5.9 percent from the like period of 2006 when sales were $64.0 billion. Third-quarter sales were 13.2 percent higher than the second quarter of 2007 when sales were $59.9 billion. For the first nine months of 2007 sales were $188.8 billion, 3.5 percent ahead of the $182.5 billion for the first nine months of 2006.

“Strong sales of cell phones and personal electronics products were a major contributor to sharp increases in revenue for NAND flash,” said Scalise. “Sales of NAND flash were up by 46.2 percent from the prior quarter and by 58.5 percent in September 2007 compared to September 2006. ASPs for NAND flash increased by nearly 32 percent from the second quarter.”