Micronic presents its nine months result

Micronic presents its nine months result Taby, Sweden, October 23, 2003 - Micronic Laser Systems AB (Stockholmsborsen's "Attract 40 list": MICR), is at the forefront in semiconductor and display laser pattern generators for the production of photomasks to the worldwide electronics industry. Micronic today presents the Group's Interim Report for January 1 - September 30, 2003. (Figures in brackets relate to the same period in 2002.) * Net sales during the first nine months were SEK 238 (314) million, of which SEK 118 (45) million relates to the third quarter. * The first nine months' result after financial items was SEK -101 (-111) million, of which SEK -4 (-53) million relates to the third quarter. * The reporting period net result was SEK -73 (-59) million, which is equivalent to SEK -2,96 (-3,08) per share. The third quarter net result was SEK -3 (-31) million, equivalent to SEK -0,08 (-1,59) per share. * Order intake during the first nine months was SEK 589 (386) million, of which the third quarter accounted for SEK 171 (128) million. * Closing order book was SEK 573 (331) million. "The third quarter has shown a continuing positive trend within the semiconductor industry. The equipment industry however, has continued to be weak, which we have experienced as precautiousness to make investments in new equipment. Our work to ensure shipment of the most advanced Sigma systems is progressing well", says Sven Lofquist, president and CEO of Micronic Laser Systems and continues: " Financially we are happy to see a small but positive cash flow during the last two quarters, not taking the new issue into account. The weak US dollar affects us negatively, but we intend to reduce our dependence on the currency. The order intake is still strong from the display market and we are now broadening our product range beyond pattern generation. During the summer we made progress within the maskless lithography market for semiconductor manufacturing as we and ASML signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to form a jointly owned company to focus on this market. We now foresee that invoicing will increase at a somewhat slower pace than expected. The order intake, on the other hand, is continuing to develop in a positive direction, which strengthened Micronic's position as a whole". Micronic Laser Systems is a Swedish high-tech company engaged in the development, manufacture and marketing of a series of extremely accurate laser pattern generators for the production of photomasks. The technology involved is known as microlithography. Micronic´s systems are used by the world´s leading electronics companies in the manufacture of television and computer displays, semiconductor circuits and semiconductor packaging components. Micronic is located in Taby, north of Stockholm and at present has subsidiaries in the United States, Japan and in Taiwan. The company has 324 employees. Micronic maintains a web site at: http://www.micronic. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/10/23/20031023BIT20020/wkr0005.pdf Micronic´s Interim report Jan-Sep 2003