Fairchild Semiconductor Corp. (South Portland, ME) stated that it continues to expect that fourth-quarter revenues will be flat to down five percent from the third quarter, but stated that the quarterly results would improve sequentially and throughout 2002.
Fairchild CFO Joe Martin reported that the ratio of orders-to-shipments, or book-to-bill, is slightly above one-to-one, and that the ratio may drop in December and January due to seasonal decline, but that Fairchild's backlog is building for the first quarter.
Martin also reported that pricing was slightly stronger in October and that gross margins will improve by 200 basis points in the fourth quarter. He cited seasonal strength in personal computers in October and early November.
