South Africa
JSE listed Altech announced the group’s interim results for the six months ended 31 August 2010. Although revenue increased to R4,8 billion compared to the same period last year, operating profit for the period declined by 25% to R361 million when compared to the corresponding prior reporting period and represented a lower operating profit margin of 7,6%, down from 10,2%. The group remains cash positive with R318 million cash on hand. The group was also recently awarded Level 3 BBBEE contribution status and achieved 110% procurement recognition, 28,6% black ownership and 13,2% black female ownership.
Technoworld Components has moved to new premises at unit 4C, 112/114 Intersite Avenue, Umgeni Business Park. The company’s telephone number has also changed to +27 (0)31 263 0944; fax +27 (0)31 263 0633.
Xpitec recently launched its new website at www.xpitec.co.za. With a modern, intuitive look and feel, the site includes information about the company’s offering and activities. Xpitec is a turnkey solution provider combining internationally branded commercial hardware products with value added services such as product advice, product support and custom software development.
Overseas
Business
Micron Technology announced results of operations for its fourth quarter and 2010 fiscal year, which ended 2 September 2010. For the fourth quarter, the company had net income attributable to Micron shareholders of $342 million, or $0,32 per diluted share, on net sales of $2,5 billion, and generated a quarterly record $1,1 billion in cash flows from operations. The results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 compare to net income of $939 million (including $488 million in gains from the Numonyx acquisition), or $0,92 per diluted share, on net sales of $2,3 billion for the third quarter of fiscal 2010, and a net loss of $100 million, or $0,12 per diluted share, on net sales of $1,3 billion for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009. For the 2010 fiscal year, the company had net income attributable to Micron shareholders of $1,9 billion, or $1,85 per diluted share, on net sales of $8,5 billion. The results for fiscal 2010 compare to a net loss of $1,9 billion, or $2,35 per diluted share, on net sales of $4,8 billion for the 2009 fiscal year.
Companies
AuthenTec and privately-held UPEK, a leading supplier of fingerprint solutions for consumer, business and government applications, announced that the companies have combined, creating the world’s largest provider of fingerprint sensors and identity management software, as well as biometric and embedded security solutions. Under the terms of the transaction, UPEK’s shares will be exchanged for approximately 5,9 million shares of AuthenTec’s common stock and a convertible promissory note in the aggregate principal amount of $21,6 million that will be satisfied by either the issuance of approximately 8,0 million additional shares of AuthenTec common stock or the repayment of the principal amount of the note by 1 March 2011.
EXFO has sold its life sciences and industrial division to The Riverside Company, a global private equity firm, for $24,3 million in cash. The life sciences and industrial division, based in Toronto, Canada, provides solutions in medical device and optoelectronics assembly, fluorescence microscopy and other life science sectors. It generated $25,4 million in sales and $4,3 million in earnings from operations for the fiscal year ended 31 August 2010.
Microsemi has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Actel for $20,88 per share through a cash tender offer. The total transaction value is approximately $430 million, net of Actel’s projected cash balance at closing. Headquartered in California, Actel is the leader in the satellite and space markets as a result of its deep knowledge of radiation tolerance and space-level qualifications. Based on current assumptions, Microsemi expects the acquisition to be $0,22 to $0,28 accretive in its first full calendar year ending December 2011.
Texas Instruments became the first company to partner with ARM in the conception and definition of the next generation ARM Cortex-A series processor core (also known as ‘Eagle’) to be announced later this year. TI intends to use the new processor to further strengthen and extend its future OMAP platform offerings.
Industry
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported that worldwide semiconductor sales in August were $25,7 billion, an increase of 1,8% from July when sales were $25,2 billion. This represents a 32,6% increase from August 2009 when sales were $19,4 billion. Sales for the first eight months of 2010 were $194,6 billion, compared to $134,7 billion for the same period in 2009, an increase of 44,4%. All monthly sales numbers represent a three-month moving average. According to the SIA, PC and wireless related products, along with infrastructure expansion in emerging markets, particularly in China and India, continue to drive sales, while concerns about economic conditions in the US and Europe, coupled with seasonal patterns, bear close monitoring. All things considered, the SIA remains confident in its $290,5 billion forecast, which represents 28,4% annual growth for 2010.
Technology
Computers might one day recycle part of their own waste heat, using a material being studied by researchers at Ohio State University. The material is a semiconductor called gallium manganese arsenide. In the early online edition of Nature Materials, researchers describe the detection of an effect that converts heat into a quantum mechanical phenomenon – known as spin – in a semiconductor. Once developed, the effect could enable integrated circuits that run on heat, rather than electricity. This hybrid thermo-spintronics technology could solve two problems for the computing industry: how to remove waste heat, and how to boost computing power without creating more heat.
Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems have developed an RFID transponder which measures temperature, pressure and humidity. The new development overcomes the low-energy challenge of integrating a sensor on a passive RFID tag (ie, one which has no energy source of its own but relies on an RFID reader to power its circuits) by integrating a microcontroller on the module to ensure that the data measured by the sensor are compressed and partially processed. In this way the data volume which the transponder transmits to the reader is decreased – and energy consumption decreases as well. In addition, the reader can transmit the command to control the sensors; thus, they are not in continuous operation.
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