In brief: Jazz Semiconductor, GigaBeam, Skyworks
Jazz goes public
Specialty silicon foundry Jazz Semiconductor has finally filed a registration statement for a proposed initial public offering of stock.
The Newport Beach, CA, company, which manufactures RF CMOS and SiGe BiCMOS devices for integrated analog and mixed-signal applications, plans to raise up to $105 million through the offering. Last year, it scrapped original plans to raise up to $150 million.
GaAs chip and power amplifier manufacturers RF Micro Devices and Skyworks Solutions are two key customers of Jazz. RFMD holds around $60 million of preferred stock in the pure-play foundry company, in return for a five-year wafer supply deal that began in October 2002 and ends next year.
Gigabit wireless goes down under
GigaBeam, the Herndon, VA, company that sells broadband wireless access equipment based on GaAs chips, has sold six new systems, including one in Australia.
Five of the so-called "WiFiber" links, which operate in the 71-76 GHz and 81-86 GHz bands, will be deployed in New York City. The installation will be the first wireless loop network on the island of Manhattan to provide the "quadruple play" of television and voice services over IP, internet access and Wi-Fi.
Meanwhile GMG Solutions in Queensland, Australia, will install a Gigabeam system to showcase the possibilities of broadband wireless connectivity, and believes that the deployment will act as a catalyst to improve broadband communications access throughout the country.
Skyworks anticipates strong return
Skyworks Solutions says that strengthening demand and a forthcoming ramp of products for key cell-phone handset customers will boost the company's financial performance in the second half of the year.
The Woburn, MA, chip manufacturer posted $185 million in sales for the opening calendar quarter of 2006, down both sequentially and from the equivalent period last year.
Skyworks made a small profit of $0.9 million in the quarter and with ramps for Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson in the pipeline , has predicted a 5% increase in sales revenue for the current quarter.
