Semiconductor Book-to-Bill Ratio Up

The U.S. semiconductor equipment book-to-bill ratio, which measures demand for U.S.-made tools used in making computer chips, rose to 1.17 in February as orders remained flat for the first time in five months. A ratio of 1.17 means that U.S. chip equipment makers took in $117 in new orders for every $100 of shipments. A ratio higher than 1.00 indicates a growing market. The higher book-to-bill ratio means that companies such as Applied Materials Inc., Novellus Systems Inc. and Applied Science & Technology Inc. may be poised for increased sales.