Q1 semiconductor revenue growth exceeds estimates

According to iSuppli analyst, Dale Ford, sequential revenue growth in the first quarter is a highly unusual event in the semiconductor industry. Ford said: "The first quarter is typically a slower season for chip sales compared even to the usually sluggish fourth quarter of every year. In comparison, the third quarter is typically the strongest one for sequential growth. However, improvement in the first quarter shows that the semiconductor industry is headed for a boom year in 2010." The first three months of 2010 delivered the fourth consecutive quarter of sequential increase in semiconductor revenue, the longest period of consecutive expansion in the industry since 2004. Of the 150+ leading semiconductor suppliers tracked by iSuppli on a quarterly basis, only six saw revenue decline in the first quarter of 2010 compared to the first quarter of 2009. Two thirds of these suppliers were able to grow or maintain flat revenues from the fourth quarter of 2009 to the first quarter 2010. Ford noted: "This represents a testament to the broad based strength of the semiconductor industry recovery since the market hit bottom in early 2009." Among the world's Top 10 semiconductor suppliers, six managed to expand their revenue in the first quarter of 2010 compared to the fourth quarter of 2009.