Spotlight: Book-to-Bill Ratio Falls on Decline in Chip Orders

The semiconductor equipment book-to-bill ratio for North America, a closely watched gauge of the industry, fell to 0.69 in July, compared with 1.10 in July 1997, as orders for machines used to make chips fell, according to research group Semiconductor Equipment & Materials International in Mountain View. A ratio of 0.69 means that chip-equipment makers got orders worth $69 for each $100 of products shipped. Several chip-equipment makers have seen sales fall recently amid Asia’s turmoil and weak chip demand.