Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Another Layoff Tracker(more complete)
For times to times update pls go
http://portalseven.com/common/Home.jsp
http://portalseven.com/common/Home.jsp
| Company | Date | Number | Location | Sector | Source |
| Norwegian American Hospital | February 19, 2009 | 42 | USA | Health Care | Employment Spectator |
| Avon | February 19, 2009 | 3000 | USA | Consumer Services | Employment Spectator |
| Embraer | February 19, 2009 | 4000 | BRAZIL | Industrials | Bloomberg |
| Borders Group | February 19, 2009 | 136 | USA | Consumer Services | Forbes |
| Sears | February 19, 2009 | 300 | Canada | Consumer Services | thestar.com |
| Macys | February 19, 2009 | 7000 | USA | Consumer Services | CNN Money |
| Goodyear | February 18, 2009 | 5000 | USA | Consumer Goods | MarketWatch |
| California Govt. | February 17, 2009 | 20000 | California | - | AP |
| Delphi | February 17, 2009 | 800 | USA | Consumer Goods | TOPNEWS |
| MDU Resources | February 17, 2009 | 130 | USA | Industrials | Forbes |
| ABX Air | February 17, 2009 | 350 | USA | Industrials | BusinessJounal |
| Agilent Technologies | February 17, 2009 | 600 | USA | Technology | BARRONs |
| General Motors | February 17, 2009 | 47000 | USA | Consumer Goods | Yahoo |
| Smithfield Foods | February 17, 2009 | 1800 | USA | Consumer Services | AP |
| Johnson Controls | February 17, 2009 | 80 | USA | Industrials | Forbes |
| WAL-MART | February 17, 2009 | 400 | USA | Consumer Services | Forbes |
| Chrysler | February 17, 2009 | 3000 | USA | Consumer Goods | Employment Spectator |
| University of Washington | February 17, 2009 | 600 | USA | Consumer Services | Seattle Times |
| BMW | February 16, 2009 | 850 | UK | Consumer Goods | WSJ |
| MindTree | February 16, 2009 | 70 | Banglore, India | Technology | MSN India |
| Sapient | February 14, 2009 | 300 | Banglore | Technology | THE TIMES OF INDIA |
| Nokia | February 13, 2009 | 320 | Worldwide | Technology | WSJ |
| United Technologies | February 13, 2009 | 1000 | Canada | Technology | wtop.com |
| Fortunoff | February 13, 2009 | 300 | USA | Consumer Services | NewsDay.com |
| U.S. Airways | February 12, 2009 | 233 | USA | Consumer Services | Business Times |
| Pioneer | February 12, 2009 | 10000 | Worldwide | - | Reuters |
| Nokia | February 12, 2009 | 625 | Finland | Telecommunications | Business-Standard |
| Nike | February 11, 2009 | 1400 | Worldwide | Consumer Goods | India.com |
| Applied Micro Circuits | February 11, 2009 | 100 | SUNNYVALE, CA, USA | Technology | Yahoo |
| W.W. Grainger | February 11, 2009 | 400 | Worldwide | Industrials | Chicago Breaking News |
| WAL-MART | February 11, 2009 | 800 | USA | Consumer Services | AdAge |
| GE Transportation | February 11, 2009 | 1550 | USA | Industrials | BusinessTimes |
| Emerson Electric | February 11, 2009 | 14000 | USA | Industrials | Employment Spectator |
| Nissan | February 10, 2009 | 20000 | Worldwide | Consumer Goods | NYTimes |
| General Motors | February 10, 2009 | 10000 | USA | Consumer Goods | Business Pundit |
| Chartered Semiconductor | February 10, 2009 | 600 | Worldwide | Technology | WSJ |
| Beazer Homes | February 10, 2009 | 300 | USA | Industrials | NYTimes |
| PIPER AIRCRAFT INC | February 10, 2009 | 300 | USA | Consumer Services | Piper |
| NetApp | February 09, 2009 | 480 | USA | Technology | U. K. Register |
| LA Times, The Tribune Co. | February 05, 2009 | 300 | USA | Consumer Services | LA Times |
| Cisco | February 05, 2009 | 2000 | San Jose, CA | Technology | BusinessWeek |
| Estee Lauder | February 05, 2009 | 2000 | NEW YORK | Consumer Goods | BusinessWeek |
| THQ | February 05, 2009 | 600 | USA | Technology | Invest-n-Trade |
| Time Warner Cable | February 04, 2009 | 1250 | USA | Consumer Services | Yahoo |
| Panasonic | February 04, 2009 | 15000 | Tokyo, Japan | Consumer Goods | Bllomberg |
| PNC Financial Services | February 03, 2009 | 5800 | USA | Financials | LA Times |
| Electronic Arts | February 03, 2009 | 600 | Redwood City, CA | Technology | SIlicon Alley Insider |
| Bloomberg | February 03, 2009 | 100 | New York, NY | Consumer Services | Reuters |
| Huntington Bancshares | February 03, 2009 | 500 | USA | Financials | Employment |
Friday, February 13, 2009
Spansion Mulls Alternatives; Skips Payment On Notes
Some interesting comment I found from some blogs....
Will Spansion and Numonyx merge??
January 15, 2009, 9:53 am
Spansion Mulls Alternatives; Skips Payment On Notes
Posted by Eric Savitz
Spansion (SPSN) this morning said it has been exploring strategic alternatives, including the possible merger or sale of the company, which makes NOR flash memory chips. The company has hired Barclays Capital as a financial adviser.
The company also said it has begun discussions on “potential balance sheet restructuring opportunities,” and will delay making the interest payment due today on its 11.25% senior notes due 2016. Spansion said that under the indenture governing the notes, a failure to make an interest payment is subject to a 30-day cure period.
Spansion this morning is up a penny, or 6.9%, to 19 cents.
Comments
Report offensive comments to techtraderdaily@barrons.com
Francisco Partners ought to be very interested in Spansion. The private equity firm Francisco Partners is part-owner of Numonyx. With a merger, Spansion and Numonyx can stop the price war in high-density NOR flash, have better control over supply, and completely dominate multi-bit per cell NOR flash (MirrorBit and StrataFlash). EcoRAM and ORNAND2, if they work, would be additional bonuses.
Comment by - January 15, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Friday, February 6, 2009
Spansion names CEO, but is Micron eyeing firm?
Page 1 of 2 EE Times (02/04/2009 10:25 AM EST)  Now, rumors are running rampant that Micron Technology Inc. is looking at buying Spansion (Sunnyvale, Calif.), sources said. Micron is a major player in NAND flash, DRAM and CMOS image sensors, but it has no presence in NOR. ''Micron could use the manufacturing facilities, IP, and perhaps try to sustain some of the NOR/NROM/EcoRAM markets that Spansion created,'' according to one analyst. Spansion's NOR devices are based on NROM technology. Last year, Spansion rolled out a new class of memory that is said to replace DRAMs in the datacenter, dubbed EcoRAM. Micron declined to comment. ''It's Micron's policy to not comment on rumor or speculation,'' according to a spokesman for Micron (Boise, Ida.). Last year, Micron signed a definitive agreement to acquire Qimonda AG's 35.6 percent ownership stake in Taiwan DRAM venture Inotera Memories Inc. for $400 million in cash. For some time, there have been reports that Micron is also interested in buying Qimonda, which has filed insolvency at a Munich court. That deal has yet to happen. Like Qimonda, Spansion is running out of options amid losses and poor demand. On Jan. 15, Spansion announced it was exploring strategic alternatives for a sale or merger. The company also announced plans to restructure its balance sheet. Sources indicate that Spansion is mulling bankruptcy fillings. At one time, Toshiba Corp. was looking at Spansion. The problems reached a boiling point when Cambou resigned. Earlier this week, Boaz Eitan, an executive vice president and member of the board, was named interim president of Spansion. Kispert, former president and COO of KLA-Tencor, brings operational and financial experience to Spansion. ''As CEO, Kispert expects to intensify Spansion's strategic and restructuring initiatives to build value for the company's stakeholders, leveraging the company's leadership in the flash memory industry,'' according to Spansion. |
Where did Spansion go wrong?
Still, the question remains: Where did Spansion go wrong?''As the leading supplier to a stagnant market, Spansion has been trying to blaze new trails for their NOR technology, developing ORNAND, a cross between NOR and NAND flash, and focusing on using MirrorBit flash as a power-saving replacement for DRAM in servers,'' said Jim Handy, an analyst with Objective Analysis (Los Altos, Calif.).
''It's too early to tell whether this last will be accepted -- that process is likely to take another two years or more since the approach is revolutionary and acceptance will be slow. ORNAND could have done very well in a typical NAND market, one where NAND makers dropped their lower-density product in pursuit of sales of more profitable high-density devices,'' he said.
''The trouble is, there's such a huge NAND glut today that all NAND makers are taking orders for low density parts that they would have otherwise abandoned. It's better to sell an unprofitable part than to leave their fabs idle. This is not the only way that the NAND market's glut has harmed Spansion,'' he said.
''Major NOR makers profit by selling their highest-density parts. These parts are under extreme price pressure since their key market is camera phones, and these designs can be worked to either use a large NOR, or the combination of a small NOR plus a large NAND. Some designs are even converting to NAND alone. Unless the NOR is sold at a very low price, today's cheap NAND is likely to capture the bulk of the design's flash revenues,'' he said.
What will likely happen to Spansion? Bankruptcy is one option.
''Should the company be forced into bankruptcy several alternatives are available, the best of which will be chosen by the bankruptcy arbitrator,'' Handy said.
''One would simply be for the company's debt to be restructured and business would continue as before. The most dramatic opposite stance would be for the company to be liquidated -- all the employees would be furloughed and assets would be sold off. We see neither of these as likely,'' he said. ''This is good news for the company's customers, who, in a liquidation, would be forced to redesign several products to use competitors' parts.''
Is there another option? ''Although an argument can be made for the sale of Spansion's manufacturing capacity since it consists of hard assets, Objective Analysis believes that the asset that is most likely to be sold to the company's advantage would be their intellectual property,'' he said. ''It is quite possible that some licensing agreement will gather Spansion enough cash to see the company through its current difficulties, however any purchaser would be a visionary with the patience to wait a year or two before seeing any revenue stream.''
Friday, January 30, 2009
Layoff Tracker
Pls go to website for time to time update
http://www.forbes.com/2008/11/17/layoff-tracker-unemployement-lead-cx_kk_1118tracker.html?partner=popstories
http://www.forbes.com/2008/11/17/layoff-tracker-unemployement-lead-cx_kk_1118tracker.html?partner=popstories
Pink Slips
Layoff Tracker
Compiled by Klaus Kneale, 01.28.09, 07:12 PM ESTStarbucks fires 7,000, Target cuts 600 and AOL cans 700.
Number of layoffs since Nov. 1, 2008, at America's 500 largest public companies*:
350,725
Latest layoffs:
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rssJan. 28: Boeing
Jan. 28: Starbucks
Jan. 28: Target
Jan. 27: Time Warner’s
Jan. 27: Cabinet company Merillat--a subsidiary of Masco
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Hitachi faces loss due to Renesas
http://www.eetimes.com/rss/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212900878&cid=RSSfeed_eetimes_newsRSS
Reuters
EE Times
(01/15/2009 11:12 PM EST)
TOKYO, Jan 16 -- Hitachi Ltd., Japan's biggest electronics maker, now faces an annual net loss of more than $1.1 billion instead of a previously forecast profit, hurt by a sharp decline in microchip sales, sources said on Friday.
A growing number of major Japanese electronics makers are expected to suffer big losses for the year ending in March, as the global economy visibly contracts.
A source said this week that Sony Corp would likely post an annual operating loss of $1.1 billion, its first such loss in 14 years, while media and analysts say rival Toshiba Corp is also headed for a big loss.
Hitachi now eyes a net loss of more than 100 billion yen ($1.1 billion) for the year to March -- its third year of losses -- due to a large loss at Renesas Technology Corp, a chipmaking joint venture of Hitachi and Mitsubishi Electric Corp, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.
Renesas, the world's No.7 maker of semiconductors, is expected to book a net loss of about 200 billion yen, as usage rates halved on equipment used to make chips, said a Renesas source who declined to be named because the numbers are not yet public.
Renesas, which makes chips used in cars, TVs, cameras and hard drives, will also shoulder restructuring costs and a write-down of tax-related assets, reversing an earlier projection for a 9.5 billion yen net profit.
A spokesman at Hitachi, which owns 55 percent of Renesas, declined to comment on the report.
Hitachi, the world's No. 3 maker of hard drives, has already cut its annual net profit forecast to 15 billion yen from an initial estimate of 40 billion yen, when it reported half-year results in October.
That compares with an average forecast of a 2.3 billion yen net loss in a poll of 11 analysts by Reuters Estimates.
Hitachi, which has been restructuring its hard drive business and gaining profit in its nuclear and thermal power plants, is also suffering from halting orders for automotive equipment and sluggish sales in its flat-panel TVs and other electronics, a Hitachi source said.
Shutoku Watanabe, head of Hitachi's consumer business group, told Reuters this month that the company's annual LCD TV sales would likely be as much as 10 percent below target as consumers hold off on off big-ticket purchases.
Hitachi had already cut its LCD TV sales forecast for the year to end-March to 850,000 units from 1.2 million.
Shares of Hitachi were trading down 0.6 percent against the benchmark Nikkei average, which was up 1.5 percent. (Additional reporting by Taiga Uranaka and Ted Kerr; Editing by Chris Gallagher)
By: Mayumi Negishi and Kentaro Hamada
Copyright 2009 Reuters.
Reuters
EE Times
(01/15/2009 11:12 PM EST)
TOKYO, Jan 16 -- Hitachi Ltd., Japan's biggest electronics maker, now faces an annual net loss of more than $1.1 billion instead of a previously forecast profit, hurt by a sharp decline in microchip sales, sources said on Friday.
A growing number of major Japanese electronics makers are expected to suffer big losses for the year ending in March, as the global economy visibly contracts.
A source said this week that Sony Corp would likely post an annual operating loss of $1.1 billion, its first such loss in 14 years, while media and analysts say rival Toshiba Corp is also headed for a big loss.
Hitachi now eyes a net loss of more than 100 billion yen ($1.1 billion) for the year to March -- its third year of losses -- due to a large loss at Renesas Technology Corp, a chipmaking joint venture of Hitachi and Mitsubishi Electric Corp, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.
Renesas, the world's No.7 maker of semiconductors, is expected to book a net loss of about 200 billion yen, as usage rates halved on equipment used to make chips, said a Renesas source who declined to be named because the numbers are not yet public.
Renesas, which makes chips used in cars, TVs, cameras and hard drives, will also shoulder restructuring costs and a write-down of tax-related assets, reversing an earlier projection for a 9.5 billion yen net profit.
A spokesman at Hitachi, which owns 55 percent of Renesas, declined to comment on the report.
Hitachi, the world's No. 3 maker of hard drives, has already cut its annual net profit forecast to 15 billion yen from an initial estimate of 40 billion yen, when it reported half-year results in October.
That compares with an average forecast of a 2.3 billion yen net loss in a poll of 11 analysts by Reuters Estimates.
Hitachi, which has been restructuring its hard drive business and gaining profit in its nuclear and thermal power plants, is also suffering from halting orders for automotive equipment and sluggish sales in its flat-panel TVs and other electronics, a Hitachi source said.
Shutoku Watanabe, head of Hitachi's consumer business group, told Reuters this month that the company's annual LCD TV sales would likely be as much as 10 percent below target as consumers hold off on off big-ticket purchases.
Hitachi had already cut its LCD TV sales forecast for the year to end-March to 850,000 units from 1.2 million.
Shares of Hitachi were trading down 0.6 percent against the benchmark Nikkei average, which was up 1.5 percent. (Additional reporting by Taiga Uranaka and Ted Kerr; Editing by Chris Gallagher)
By: Mayumi Negishi and Kentaro Hamada
Copyright 2009 Reuters.
AMD cuts 900 additional jobs
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=UIHN1FSMSEUQEQSNDLSCKHA?articleID=212901009
Dylan McGrath
EE Times
(01/16/2009 1:30 PM EST)
SAN FRANCISCO — Advanced Micro Devices Inc. plans to cut an additional 900 jobs during the first quarter of 2009 as part of a series of moves designed to reduce the chip maker's workforce by about 9 percent, AMD said Friday (Jan. 16).
AMD (Sunnyvale, Calif.) will shed another 200 jobs through a combination of attrition and the previously announced divestiture of its handheld business, the company said.
AMD had two major rounds of layoffs in 2008. Late last year, AMD reduced its workforce by about 600 employees. Last July, it announced the layoff of 10 percent of its workers.
Other cost control measures announced Friday included temporarily reducing employee base pay and suspending some benefits programs. Executive chairman Hector Ruiz and CEO Dirk Meyer will be taking temporary reductions in base salary totaling 20 percent, AMD said.
AMD also said it will cut executive pay in the U.S. and Canada by 15 percent. All other North American employees ineligible for overtime will face a 10 percent salary reduction, the company added.
Outside North America, AMD said it would implement "voluntary pay reduction measures consistent with local policies and regulations."
In a statement, AMD said it had determined to take "difficult, but prudent" actions to reduce costs as the result of the continuing economic downturn.
A spokesperson for AMD said the job cuts would occur across all regions AMD operates in and span all levels of employees.
On Thursday, AMD rival Intel Corp. said its fourth quarter 2008 revenue fell to $8.2 billion, down $10.7 billion from the same period of 2007. But the shortfall was widely expected after Intel cut its guidance for the quarter twice. Despite rumors, Intel has yet to announce any large scale job cuts.
AMD is scheduled to report fourth quarter earnings next week (Jan. 22).
AMD is a distant second to Intel in the microprocessor market. The company made waves a couple of years ago by biting into the No. 1 chip vendor's market share, but has since lost surrendered the gains. AMD said in November it would not make chips for mobile internet devices and smart phones that would compete with Intel's popular Atom chip.
In a landmark move last October, AMD announced it would split into two parts, spinning off its fabs into a separate company backed by the government of Abu Dhabi.
Other large U.S. chip makers are also expected to announced job cuts in the coming days.
Dylan McGrath
EE Times
(01/16/2009 1:30 PM EST)
SAN FRANCISCO — Advanced Micro Devices Inc. plans to cut an additional 900 jobs during the first quarter of 2009 as part of a series of moves designed to reduce the chip maker's workforce by about 9 percent, AMD said Friday (Jan. 16).
AMD (Sunnyvale, Calif.) will shed another 200 jobs through a combination of attrition and the previously announced divestiture of its handheld business, the company said.
AMD had two major rounds of layoffs in 2008. Late last year, AMD reduced its workforce by about 600 employees. Last July, it announced the layoff of 10 percent of its workers.
Other cost control measures announced Friday included temporarily reducing employee base pay and suspending some benefits programs. Executive chairman Hector Ruiz and CEO Dirk Meyer will be taking temporary reductions in base salary totaling 20 percent, AMD said.
AMD also said it will cut executive pay in the U.S. and Canada by 15 percent. All other North American employees ineligible for overtime will face a 10 percent salary reduction, the company added.
Outside North America, AMD said it would implement "voluntary pay reduction measures consistent with local policies and regulations."
In a statement, AMD said it had determined to take "difficult, but prudent" actions to reduce costs as the result of the continuing economic downturn.
A spokesperson for AMD said the job cuts would occur across all regions AMD operates in and span all levels of employees.
On Thursday, AMD rival Intel Corp. said its fourth quarter 2008 revenue fell to $8.2 billion, down $10.7 billion from the same period of 2007. But the shortfall was widely expected after Intel cut its guidance for the quarter twice. Despite rumors, Intel has yet to announce any large scale job cuts.
AMD is scheduled to report fourth quarter earnings next week (Jan. 22).
AMD is a distant second to Intel in the microprocessor market. The company made waves a couple of years ago by biting into the No. 1 chip vendor's market share, but has since lost surrendered the gains. AMD said in November it would not make chips for mobile internet devices and smart phones that would compete with Intel's popular Atom chip.
In a landmark move last October, AMD announced it would split into two parts, spinning off its fabs into a separate company backed by the government of Abu Dhabi.
Other large U.S. chip makers are also expected to announced job cuts in the coming days.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Why UMNO defeat in Kuala Terengganu by-election
My personal view the cause is still the same why BN defeat in 8 March 08. And BN didn't change and improve since than.....
You will not improve if you didn't improve and don't know what wrong.
Will not cure if you not able diagnose your problem.
What you think?
Pls give your comment....
You will not improve if you didn't improve and don't know what wrong.
Will not cure if you not able diagnose your problem.
What you think?
Pls give your comment....
Friday, January 16, 2009
Intel claims limited visibility, offers no Q1 forecast
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=RYINNH0X50YHKQSNDLSCKHA?articleID=212900824
Intel claims limited visibility, offers no Q1 forecast
Fourth quarter profit, sales tumble as economy softens
Bolaji Ojo
EE Times
(01/15/2009 5:02 PM EST)
Intel Corp. said it cannot "predict product demand" for the first quarter and has therefore declined to offer its typical revenue and profit forecast but instead will work off a temporary number that calls for a 15 percent sequential sales decline on top of the 19 percent drop from the third quarter of 2008.
The world's biggest semiconductor company is considered the bellwether for the rest of the chip market and its lackluster fourth quarter performance coupled with its unwillingness to offer guidance for the ongoing quarter indicates the industry might be headed for one of its worst recessions in decades.
Intel said fourth quarter 2008 net income fell to $234 million, or 4 cents per share, hit hard by a $1.2 billion loss on equity investments related to its interest in Clearwire Corp.
In the year-ago comparable quarter Intel posted net profit of $2.3 billion, or 38 cents per share. Revenue in the three months ended Dec. 27, 2008 sank to $8.2 billion, down 23 percent as previously predicted, from $10.7 billion in the comparable 2007 quarter.
"The economy and the industry are in the process of resetting to a new baseline from which growth will resume," said Paul Otellini, Intel's president and CEO in a statement announcing the results. "While the environment is uncertain, our fundamental business strategies are more focused than ever."
Intel will need all the weapons in its arsenal to pull through the coming recession. It's not typical, even in the most distressing market environment, for Intel to decline to offer investors and analysts a clear idea of how it expects to perform in a particular reporting period.
By refusing to provide even a wide sales forecast range this time, Intel is basically indicating demand has stalled and visibility into OEM component requirements has fogged up completely.
"Due to economic uncertainty and limited visibility, Intel is not providing a revenue outlook at this time," the company said. "For internal purposes, the company is currently planning for revenue in the vicinity of $7 billion."
What's clear is that Intel's capacity utilization has fallen very sharply and won't recover immediately. The company said first quarter gross profit margin "is expected to decline to the low 40s primarily due to higher underutilization charges and 32 nanometer start-up costs."
Intel's fourth quarter 2008 gross profit margin fell as expected to 53.1 percent, from 58.1 percent in the 2007 comparable quarter. The company whittled down R&D as well as other operating costs during the recently ended quarter continuing a trend analysts expect will accelerate in the current difficult environment.
For 2009, Intel said it expects R&D and marketing, general and administrative charges will be between $10.4 billion and $10.6 billion. Capital spending is "expected to be flat to slightly down from 2008," Intel said.
Intel claims limited visibility, offers no Q1 forecast
Fourth quarter profit, sales tumble as economy softens
Bolaji Ojo
EE Times
(01/15/2009 5:02 PM EST)
Intel Corp. said it cannot "predict product demand" for the first quarter and has therefore declined to offer its typical revenue and profit forecast but instead will work off a temporary number that calls for a 15 percent sequential sales decline on top of the 19 percent drop from the third quarter of 2008.
The world's biggest semiconductor company is considered the bellwether for the rest of the chip market and its lackluster fourth quarter performance coupled with its unwillingness to offer guidance for the ongoing quarter indicates the industry might be headed for one of its worst recessions in decades.
Intel said fourth quarter 2008 net income fell to $234 million, or 4 cents per share, hit hard by a $1.2 billion loss on equity investments related to its interest in Clearwire Corp.
In the year-ago comparable quarter Intel posted net profit of $2.3 billion, or 38 cents per share. Revenue in the three months ended Dec. 27, 2008 sank to $8.2 billion, down 23 percent as previously predicted, from $10.7 billion in the comparable 2007 quarter.
"The economy and the industry are in the process of resetting to a new baseline from which growth will resume," said Paul Otellini, Intel's president and CEO in a statement announcing the results. "While the environment is uncertain, our fundamental business strategies are more focused than ever."
Intel will need all the weapons in its arsenal to pull through the coming recession. It's not typical, even in the most distressing market environment, for Intel to decline to offer investors and analysts a clear idea of how it expects to perform in a particular reporting period.
By refusing to provide even a wide sales forecast range this time, Intel is basically indicating demand has stalled and visibility into OEM component requirements has fogged up completely.
"Due to economic uncertainty and limited visibility, Intel is not providing a revenue outlook at this time," the company said. "For internal purposes, the company is currently planning for revenue in the vicinity of $7 billion."
What's clear is that Intel's capacity utilization has fallen very sharply and won't recover immediately. The company said first quarter gross profit margin "is expected to decline to the low 40s primarily due to higher underutilization charges and 32 nanometer start-up costs."
Intel's fourth quarter 2008 gross profit margin fell as expected to 53.1 percent, from 58.1 percent in the 2007 comparable quarter. The company whittled down R&D as well as other operating costs during the recently ended quarter continuing a trend analysts expect will accelerate in the current difficult environment.
For 2009, Intel said it expects R&D and marketing, general and administrative charges will be between $10.4 billion and $10.6 billion. Capital spending is "expected to be flat to slightly down from 2008," Intel said.
Spansion exploring sale, halts interest payments
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10143577-64.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
Posted by Brooke Crothers
Spansion said Thursday that it is exploring a merger or sale, as the flash memory chip company delays interest payments on notes.
The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company announced that it has been "exploring strategic alternatives, including, but not limited to, opportunities to merge with or sell to similar U.S. or foreign businesses."
Spansion, one of the largest flash memory suppliers, was formed by the integration of Advanced Micro Devices' and Fujitsu's flash memory operations in 2003. The company has posted a long string of losses as it has struggled to turn a profit in the fickle NOR flash memory business.
NOR flash is used in set-top boxes and cell phones but addresses a much different market than its better-known cousin, NAND flash. NOR is typically used to store and run computer code, while NAND is used for large-capacity storage, just like hard disk drives.
Spansion received a lukewarm response to its IPO in 2005.
The company said Thursday that it has engaged Barclays Capital "to assist the company in exploring these strategic alternatives," the company said.
In connection with this, Spansion has initiated discussions to begin an "organized process of potential balance sheet restructuring opportunities" and will delay making the interest payment on its outstanding 11.25 percent senior notes due 2016, which is due January 15, the company said.
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services on Thursday lowered its corporate credit rating on Spansion to "D" from "CCC" and the issue-level rating on the company's 11.25 percent senior unsecured notes due 2016 to "D" from "CC."
After a string of quarterly losses, Spansion, according to reports, is also considering Chapter 11 protection.
Posted by Brooke Crothers
Spansion said Thursday that it is exploring a merger or sale, as the flash memory chip company delays interest payments on notes.
The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company announced that it has been "exploring strategic alternatives, including, but not limited to, opportunities to merge with or sell to similar U.S. or foreign businesses."
Spansion, one of the largest flash memory suppliers, was formed by the integration of Advanced Micro Devices' and Fujitsu's flash memory operations in 2003. The company has posted a long string of losses as it has struggled to turn a profit in the fickle NOR flash memory business.
NOR flash is used in set-top boxes and cell phones but addresses a much different market than its better-known cousin, NAND flash. NOR is typically used to store and run computer code, while NAND is used for large-capacity storage, just like hard disk drives.
Spansion received a lukewarm response to its IPO in 2005.
The company said Thursday that it has engaged Barclays Capital "to assist the company in exploring these strategic alternatives," the company said.
In connection with this, Spansion has initiated discussions to begin an "organized process of potential balance sheet restructuring opportunities" and will delay making the interest payment on its outstanding 11.25 percent senior notes due 2016, which is due January 15, the company said.
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services on Thursday lowered its corporate credit rating on Spansion to "D" from "CCC" and the issue-level rating on the company's 11.25 percent senior unsecured notes due 2016 to "D" from "CC."
After a string of quarterly losses, Spansion, according to reports, is also considering Chapter 11 protection.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
全球经济不景延伸 大年2电子厂裁119人
全球经济不景延伸 大年2电子厂裁119人
二零零九年一月十四日 凌晨十二时五分
（双溪大年13日讯）双溪大年工业领域吹裁员风。这个月份有2家从事电子领域行业的工厂分别裁退99人及20人，总数达到119人。
人力资源局副高级董事莫哈末惹吉斯阿都拉今天在双溪大年办事处对媒体透露，这2家分别在双溪大年工业区设厂的台资商，经裁退119名员工。
此外，他说，GREEN POINT PERCISIOUS除了在本月9日裁退99名员工外，也将在这个月杪裁退另外226名本地员工，这样一来，该公司裁退的员工高达325名。
这家公司总共有1223名员工，其中789名为本地员工，其余434名为外劳，而2天前裁退的99名员工属于主管级、技术人员以及行政管理人员等，而即将裁退的226名员工则为操作员，他们是属于公司合约承包商所聘请的员工。
不过，被裁退的99名员工也获得公司的赔偿，公司总共付出总额高达53万3102令吉48仙的赔偿金。
由于这家台资商在裁退员工时没有根据劳工法令行事，因此，他说，人力资源局将采取行动追究此事，必要时将在1955年劳工法令第63（1）条文下提控雇主，罪成可被罚款最高1万令吉。
此外，他说，另外1家裁退20名员工的厂商为FEITI METAL。
此前，他说，该局也经接获双溪大年6名雇主依合法程序在今年1月份裁退165名员工，其中156名为本地员工，另外9名为外劳。
而在暂停生产方面，有4个雇主经向该局报备，所涉及的员工高达507名，其中22名为外劳。
与此同时，他说，从去年10月迄今，人力资源局经为80名失业的员工找到新工作。
因此，他呼吁那些被裁退的员工，无论是主管或技术人员或蓝领阶级者都可到人力资源局登记，以便该局安排合适的就业机会。
此外，那些失业的员工也可通过网上查询，以寻找工作机会，有关网页为www.jobsmalaysia.gov.my。
未依据劳工法令条文裁员 人力局追究3厂商
人力资源局副高级董事莫哈末惹吉斯阿都拉指出，该局将对3家厂商在没有依据劳工法令的条文下裁退员工一事展开追究。
他说，该局接获这3家公司的员工投诉，指有关雇主没有给予足够时间的通知，就裁退他们。
因此，他表示，该局将对此展开调查，一旦调查结果显示雇主违约，将依法提控。
他今天在双溪大年人力资源局办事处召开记者会对媒体公布这项讯息。
另外，他说，该局也接获投诉指位于吉中马莫1家生产纤维的外资厂商在2个星期前裁退45名本地员工。
他说，这家从事纤维的工厂是在去年12月中在没有预先通知的情况下裁退45名员工。
有关公司共有323名员工，据了解管理层接下来将大幅度裁员，不过人力资源局经
二零零九年一月十四日 凌晨十二时五分
（双溪大年13日讯）双溪大年工业领域吹裁员风。这个月份有2家从事电子领域行业的工厂分别裁退99人及20人，总数达到119人。
人力资源局副高级董事莫哈末惹吉斯阿都拉今天在双溪大年办事处对媒体透露，这2家分别在双溪大年工业区设厂的台资商，经裁退119名员工。
此外，他说，GREEN POINT PERCISIOUS除了在本月9日裁退99名员工外，也将在这个月杪裁退另外226名本地员工，这样一来，该公司裁退的员工高达325名。
这家公司总共有1223名员工，其中789名为本地员工，其余434名为外劳，而2天前裁退的99名员工属于主管级、技术人员以及行政管理人员等，而即将裁退的226名员工则为操作员，他们是属于公司合约承包商所聘请的员工。
不过，被裁退的99名员工也获得公司的赔偿，公司总共付出总额高达53万3102令吉48仙的赔偿金。
由于这家台资商在裁退员工时没有根据劳工法令行事，因此，他说，人力资源局将采取行动追究此事，必要时将在1955年劳工法令第63（1）条文下提控雇主，罪成可被罚款最高1万令吉。
此外，他说，另外1家裁退20名员工的厂商为FEITI METAL。
此前，他说，该局也经接获双溪大年6名雇主依合法程序在今年1月份裁退165名员工，其中156名为本地员工，另外9名为外劳。
而在暂停生产方面，有4个雇主经向该局报备，所涉及的员工高达507名，其中22名为外劳。
与此同时，他说，从去年10月迄今，人力资源局经为80名失业的员工找到新工作。
因此，他呼吁那些被裁退的员工，无论是主管或技术人员或蓝领阶级者都可到人力资源局登记，以便该局安排合适的就业机会。
此外，那些失业的员工也可通过网上查询，以寻找工作机会，有关网页为www.jobsmalaysia.gov.my。
未依据劳工法令条文裁员 人力局追究3厂商
人力资源局副高级董事莫哈末惹吉斯阿都拉指出，该局将对3家厂商在没有依据劳工法令的条文下裁退员工一事展开追究。
他说，该局接获这3家公司的员工投诉，指有关雇主没有给予足够时间的通知，就裁退他们。
因此，他表示，该局将对此展开调查，一旦调查结果显示雇主违约，将依法提控。
他今天在双溪大年人力资源局办事处召开记者会对媒体公布这项讯息。
另外，他说，该局也接获投诉指位于吉中马莫1家生产纤维的外资厂商在2个星期前裁退45名本地员工。
他说，这家从事纤维的工厂是在去年12月中在没有预先通知的情况下裁退45名员工。
有关公司共有323名员工，据了解管理层接下来将大幅度裁员，不过人力资源局经
2009 CNY Marketing Survey (Sunshne, Tesco, Jusco, Carrefour, Giant)
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=p4eSO_O-NKuebiUv8ZfZiPQ
Pls click on the link to see the spreadsheet.
Contain price comparison for Sunshine, Tesco, Jusco, Carrefour, Giant
The price is for reference only, subjected to change by the store.
Pls click on the link to see the spreadsheet.
Contain price comparison for Sunshine, Tesco, Jusco, Carrefour, Giant
The price is for reference only, subjected to change by the store.
Motorola To Cut 4,000 Jobs
http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/smart_phones/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212900618&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_News
Motorola To Cut 4,000 Jobs
The workforce reduction will take place primarily in the ailing handset division, and it comes on top of 3,000 layoffs announced late last year.
By Marin Perez
InformationWeek
January 14, 2009 06:47 PM
Struggling Motorola (NYSE: MOT) said it would reduce its workforce by about 4,000 in a cost-savings measure.
The majority of the cuts will come from the Mobile Devices business, which has been steadily losing market share to Apple, Nokia (NYSE: NOK), Research In Motion (NSDQ: RIMM), and Samsung. The division has lost more than $2.7 billion since the start of 2007, and the cuts come in addition to the previously announced reduction of 3,000 jobs.
More Mobility InsightsWhite PapersNuStar Mobile Users Get Tech Support, Training Remotely Company Finds Right IT Support Rx for Wireless Devices WebcastsReal-time Visibility of Mobile Inventory, Assets, and Field-Based Employees using RFIDImproving Business Processes with WAN AccelerationReportsLTE Vs. WiMaxWhere In The World Is IPv6?Videos
The Arrival of Dual Mode Handsets
"The actions we are taking today in our Mobile Devices business will allow us to further reduce our cost structure and positions us for improved financial performance in 2009," said co-CEO Sanjay Jha in a statement. "Together with these actions and the announcements made in the fourth quarter, the Mobile Devices business expects to recognize annual cost savings of approximately $1.2 billion in 2009."
Just a few years ago, Motorola's Razr was a desirable and profitable phone, and it sold more than 110 million units. But the company hasn't brought many innovative cell phones or smartphones to market since then, and its portfolio of handsets is widely seen as stale.
The handset maker fell to fourth place in the global cell phone market last year, and most analysts and mobile phone companies are expecting the market to contract. The Mobile Devices unit became so much of a drag on the company that it was going to be spun off into a separate company.
The spin-off has been put on hold by Jha as the company tries to focus on creating consumer-friendly handsets. Motorola is making a big bet on Google (NSDQ: GOOG)'s Android operating system for a social network-centric smartphone, but that device isn't expected until the second half of 2009.
Motorola To Cut 4,000 Jobs
The workforce reduction will take place primarily in the ailing handset division, and it comes on top of 3,000 layoffs announced late last year.
By Marin Perez
InformationWeek
January 14, 2009 06:47 PM
Struggling Motorola (NYSE: MOT) said it would reduce its workforce by about 4,000 in a cost-savings measure.
The majority of the cuts will come from the Mobile Devices business, which has been steadily losing market share to Apple, Nokia (NYSE: NOK), Research In Motion (NSDQ: RIMM), and Samsung. The division has lost more than $2.7 billion since the start of 2007, and the cuts come in addition to the previously announced reduction of 3,000 jobs.
More Mobility InsightsWhite PapersNuStar Mobile Users Get Tech Support, Training Remotely Company Finds Right IT Support Rx for Wireless Devices WebcastsReal-time Visibility of Mobile Inventory, Assets, and Field-Based Employees using RFIDImproving Business Processes with WAN AccelerationReportsLTE Vs. WiMaxWhere In The World Is IPv6?Videos
The Arrival of Dual Mode Handsets
"The actions we are taking today in our Mobile Devices business will allow us to further reduce our cost structure and positions us for improved financial performance in 2009," said co-CEO Sanjay Jha in a statement. "Together with these actions and the announcements made in the fourth quarter, the Mobile Devices business expects to recognize annual cost savings of approximately $1.2 billion in 2009."
Just a few years ago, Motorola's Razr was a desirable and profitable phone, and it sold more than 110 million units. But the company hasn't brought many innovative cell phones or smartphones to market since then, and its portfolio of handsets is widely seen as stale.
The handset maker fell to fourth place in the global cell phone market last year, and most analysts and mobile phone companies are expecting the market to contract. The Mobile Devices unit became so much of a drag on the company that it was going to be spun off into a separate company.
The spin-off has been put on hold by Jha as the company tries to focus on creating consumer-friendly handsets. Motorola is making a big bet on Google (NSDQ: GOOG)'s Android operating system for a social network-centric smartphone, but that device isn't expected until the second half of 2009.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Seagate Cuts 6% of Jobs Globally, Reduces CEO Pay 25% (Update2)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=avvnIJfxpLdI&refer=us
By Katie Hoffmann
Jan. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Seagate Technology, the biggest maker of hard-disk drives, said it will cut 6 percent of its global workforce as profit falls in the global recession.
The company will eliminate 2,950 positions, which includes the about 800 U.S. job cuts announced this week, according to a regulatory filing today. Seagate said it will reduce its chief executive officer’s salary by 25 percent and also cut some other managers’ pay.
Profit at Seagate, which replaced its CEO two days ago, has slid for two quarters as the recession crimps personal-computer demand, causing orders for storage products to sag. Competitor Western Digital Corp. said last month it would cut 5 percent of its workforce. Seagate has higher operating costs as a percentage of revenue than Western Digital so it may have to make more cuts, said Robert W. Baird & Co. analyst Jayson Noland.
“They’re arguably less efficient,” said San Francisco- based Noland, who has a “neutral” rating on Seagate shares and doesn’t own any. “I wouldn’t be shocked to see another cut, just given the uncertainty at Seagate right now.”
Seagate estimates the job cuts will save it $130 million a year, and the lower salaries will reduce costs by $80 million.
Seagate, based in George Town, Grand Cayman, fell 30 cents, or 6.6 percent, to $4.28 at 9:52 a.m. in Nasdaq Stock Market trading. It fell 83 percent last year.
The company this week named Chairman Stephen Luczo as CEO, replacing William Watkins. The change gave Luczo back the reins of a company he ran for six years, from 1998 to 2004.
Seagate, operated from Scotts Valley, California, had 54,000 employees at the end of June.
To contact the reporter on this story: Katie Hoffmann in New York at khoffmann4@bloomberg.net
Gmail is more than just mail
IF YOU signed up for Google's e-mail service, you can use its Google alk network to send instant messages to people on your Gmail address book.You may have already noticed the Chat area in the Gmail window when checking your messages on the Web.
You can write message to people in your contact list right there in the browser and even save your transcripts to your Gmail account.
Windows users can also download stand-alone Google Talk instant-message software, which lets you transfer larger files between computers, make free PC-to-PC voice calls over the Internet and even leave mail for friends on your contacts list.
Mac and Linux users have other choices as well. There is a Flash-based version of the program called the Google Talk Gadget that works on most systems.
Mac OS X users can also connect and gab with Apple's iChat instant messenger program. Google has a page devoted to getting started with Google Talk at www.google.com/talk/about.html; there's also a link to a list of other IM programs that work with the system.
Because Gllgle Talk uses the Jabber network (www.jabber.org), your instant messagers don't go through the same network and servers used by chat sessions in the Microsoft Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! or other instant messaging services.
It is possible to chat with people on other IM networks, usually by using IM software that link the different systemsl Psi, Adium and Trillian Pro are some of these "interperable" instant-messaging programs. - New York Times Special Features
Motorola Reportedly Close To Major Restructuring
http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/business/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212900311&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_News
Motorola Reportedly Close To Major Restructuring
The handset division is reportedly set to lay off nearly half its workers, and the smartphone line will focus on Google's Android platform.
By Marin Perez InformationWeek
Motorola (NYSE: MOT) has been steadily losing market share to Apple, Nokia (NYSE: NOK), and Research In Motion (NSDQ: RIMM), and the company may be making massive cuts to its workforce to stem costs, according to a report from Phone Scoop.
The company responded to press inquiries regarding the cuts, saying it does not respond to rumors. But it's no secret that the handset division has been ailing, as it has lost nearly $2.8 billion since the start of 2007. The company has previously made worker reductions and it has trimmed benefits to prepare for an economic downturn.
"Phone Scoop has learned that Motorola's handset division is expecting a large round of layoffs as soon as this week, according to someone familiar with Motorola's plans," the site said. "The layoffs are confirmed to be significant and may amount to 50% of the entire handset operation. Motorola's set-top box, networking equipment, and enterprise device businesses would not be affected."
Motorola is still struggling to find a replacement for its massively popular Razr cell phone, which sold more than 110 million units around the world. But since that iconic device, the company is largely seen as having a stagnant portfolio of handsets. It recently brought in Sanjay Jha to help resurrect the handset division, and Jha has said the company can recover by streamlining its portfolio and producing desirable products.
"Motorola is prepared to trim the number of new phones it brings to market down to just a dozen per year, and the only smartphones it will produce will be based on Google's Android platform," the report said.
The company did not confirm this aspect of the report either, as it remained committed to its previous announcement that it would use Android for midtier devices and use Windows Mobile for high-end smartphones. Motorola's Android handset is expected to have heavy social networking integration, and Jha said it should come out in the second quarter of 2009.
ve heavysocial networking integration, and Jha said it should come out in the second quarter of 2009.
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