SIA reports semi sales up

http://news.techeye.net/chips/sia-reports-semi-sales-up

According to the latest statistics from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), there has been a six percent quarterly boost in sales, topping the expected industry forecast.

Quarterly sales reached $74.65 billion for Q2 2013, up from the first quarter's $70.45 billion. The SIA claims this is the largest quarterly increase in three years. Global sales for June 2013 were $28.8 billion, a 2.1 percent increase compared to the same time last year and 0.8 percent higher than May. Sales in the Americas grew 8.6 percent in June 2013 compared to last year.

These were higher than predictions by industry group the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, which expected quarterly growth of 4.6 percent globally and 3.4 percent for the Americas.

Total year to dates sales were at $145.1 billion, above the WSTS' expected $144.1 billion, and in June were 1.5 percent higher than the same time in 2012.

For the month of June, compared to May, there was sales growth in the APAC region of 0.4 percent and a dismal 0.1 percent in Europe, and a 0.9 percent decline in Japan. But this was still 5.4 percent and 0.8 percent growth for APAC and Europe, respectively.

Though together the results are strong enough, individually some SIA members may have reason to worry. Take Intel - its net profit in the quarter ending July 2013 dipped 29 percent , down 5.1 percent year on year and way below market estimates. AMD, meanwhile, posted a loss.

CEO of SIA, Brian Toohey, commented positively, saying in a statement: "There's no question the global semiconductor industry has picked up steam through the first half of 2013, led largely by the Americas.

"We have now seen consistent growth on a monthly, quarterly, and year-to-year basis, and sales totals have exceeded the latest industry projection," Toohey said, adding that memory products sold particularly well.