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ASML’s lithography market share to reach 55 percent in 2005 |
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Oct 12, 2005 at 06:42 PM |
During a conference call today ASML's President and CEO, Eric Meurice,
highlighted that the company would see revenue growth in 2006 and be
profitable each quarter as the company identified the bottom of the
order trough to be this quarter with increased sales for the next few
quarters.
Meurice believes its market share dominance (by revenues) would
increase from around the 50 percent mark to around 55 percent for 2005.
Key to this claim has been the continued strength in orders for leading
edge 193 ArF (dry) lithography tools as well as its next generation
immersion tools such as the AT 1700I (immersion) with a 1.2 NA optical
system.
ASML has shipped 9 variants of its R&D and pre-production immersion
tools since late last year and now has 10 new orders for the production
ready AT1700I that will be shipped late Q106 through Q206. Meurice also
stated that the company is forecasting that it could receive 20 plus
new orders for the AT1700I during the next few quarters.
The company shipped 28 new and 11 refurbished systems in the quarter,
which was down form previous quarters. However bookings increased to 46
tools with a company record ASP of 15.8 million Euros per tool.
New customer wins was also a reason for optimism in further increasing
market share, Meurice noted. He highlighted that in the quarter just
gone the company have secured a new customer in Japan, which had placed
an order for one immersion tool. This takes ASML's customer base to 5
in Japan, seen by many as the toughest market to break into considering
its two other rivals, Nikon and Canon are Japanese.
However, neither Japanese lithography tool suppliers have been ready to
ship their immersion tool offerings, allowing ASML to gain an early
leadership position in that market. Meurice mentioned that the
traditionally long new customer win cycle time in Japan had changed
with its fifth Japanese customer win happening much quicker than
before, due in part to ASML's immersion tool capabilities.
Meurice also noted that other Japanese customers it has recently won
are now beginning to place multiple tool orders, further strengthening
his claims of further market share gains. Indeed he expects to see
ASML's market share increase again in 2006, though no figures were
given.
ASML now expects sales to increase now and through the first half of
next year, while potentially falling off in the second half. Muerice
said next years sales cycle would be similar to this years.
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