2009-2010 Q1 consolidated sales total 43.9 million Euros
• Sequential wafer sales growth of 30.8% at constant exchange
• Robust level of activity confirmed for Q2
Bernin, France, 20th July 2009 – Soitec, leader in SOI (Silicon on Insulator) wafer material today announced total first quarter sales of 43.9 million Euros. As anticipated by the Group, this represents an increase of 22.3% on a sequential basis and a year on year reduction of 27.2%.
At constant exchange, wafer sales were up by 30.8% on a sequential basis, but down by 36.3% year on year.
| Sales (Euros millions) | 2009-2010 | 2008-2009 | Change |
| First Quarter | 43.9 | 60.2 | -27.2% |
Strong rebound in 300mm wafer sales
Total wafer sales were 41.1 million Euros for the quarter, equal to sequential growth, at constant exchange, of 30.8% and 25.2% in Euros. By diameter 300mm wafers, which represent 84% of all wafer sales provided the strongest sequential growth at 35.0% (29.2% in Euros) representing rush orders received from main customers. Other wafer sizes grew by 12.2% (7.4% in Euros) mainly due to slower restocking in the automotive market.
Picogiga sales were down by 30.3% year on year but stable sequentially at 1.3 million Euros, the Tracit activity grew by 57.9% year on year, whilst royalties were 0.6 million Euros for the quarter.
Robust level of activity confirmed for Q2
The most recent indications for the second quarter point to a robust level of activity at constant exchange with the potential for further sequential growth, but not at the rate seen in Q1.
In a climate of remaining industry uncertainty for significant improvement to end market demand in the second half of the year, the Company maintains its position not to provide sales guidance for the full financial year 2009-2010.
Recent development
The Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on 7th July 2009 approved all resolutions recommended by the Board.
Agenda
Q2 sales for 2009-2010 will be published on 19th October 2009 after the close of the Paris Stock Exchange.
About Soitec:
The Soitec Group is the world’s leading innovator and provider of the engineered substrate solutions that serve as the foundation for today’s most advanced microelectronic products. The group leverages its proprietary Smart Cut™ technology to engineer new substrate solutions, such as silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers, which became the first high-volume application for this proprietary technology. Since then, SOI has emerged as the material platform of the future, enabling the production of higher performing, faster chips that consume less power.
Today, Soitec produces more than 80 percent of the world’s SOI wafers. Headquartered in Bernin, France, with two high-volume fabs on-site, Soitec has offices throughout the United States, Japan and Taiwan, and a new production site in the process of customers’ qualification in Singapore.
Two other divisions, Picogiga International (Les Ulis) and Tracit Technologies (Bernin), complete the Soitec Group. Picogiga delivers advanced substrates solutions, including III-V epiwafers and gallium nitride (GaN) wafers, to the compound material world for the manufacture of high-frequency electronics and other optoelectronic devices. Tracit, on the other hand, provides thin-film layer transfer technologies used to manufacture advanced substrates for power ICs and microsystems, as well as generic circuit transfer technology “Smart Stacking” for applications such as image sensors and 3D-integration. Shares of the Soitec Group are listed on Euronext Paris. For more information, visit www.soitec.com.
*SOI: Silicon On Insulator - sSOI: strained Silicon On Insulator
Soitec, Smart Cut, Smart Stacking and UNIBOND are registered trademarks of S.O.I.TEC Silicon On Insulator Technologies.
For further information, please contact:
Soitec
Iain Murray
CFO
Tel: +33 4 76 92 75 14
Email: investors@soitec.fr
Soitec
Olivier Brice
Deputy Finance Director
Tel: +33 4 76 92 93 80
Email: olivier.brice@soitec.fr