Lacking space at Moscone Center, many of the companies have opted to set up overflow presentations of equipment in nearby hotels. The show already has been split in two between San Francisco and San Jose to get more space. Perish the thought. The show floor was a frenetic whirl of activity. The many two-story booths offered both a secluded place for meetings and a wonderful view of the show floor.
Optical orders continue to be the big driver here.
Its exposure to this hot market looks like it will help provide a strong quarter. We feel that Mattson will likely give an above-expectation performance. Given management's overall positive tone, we believe KLA-Tencor also will likely report above expectations. One issue, which taken out of context has generated some pressure on stock prices, is concern about supply of components and subassemblies. Comments made at the Lam analyst meeting, we feel, were blown way out of proportion, and context surrounded the strain that is being felt in the semiconductor equipment industry's supply chain.