K&S sees demand drop for Dec quarter

SAN FRANSICO, USA: Kulicke & Soffa Industries Inc said it expects first quarter 2011 revenue to be significantly below its fourth quarter due to softening industry conditions, sending its shares down 9 percent after the bell.

The company, which designs semiconductor assembly equipment, said it had previously expected the December-quarter revenue to be about comparable to the September quarter.

For the fourth quarter ended Oct. 2, the company now expects revenue to be at the upper end of the previously stated range of $250-$260 million.

Analysts on average were expecting revenue of $255.8 million for the fourth quarter, and $249.1 million for the first quarter, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.