Semiconductor chips and nanotechnology are perhaps two areas of business with the most future potential. Both of these business areas depend on photolithography. This stock, with a unit price of less than $10 on February 20 2008, and with market capitalization below $250 million, is one of the most exciting investment opportunities available on NASDAQ.

Printing complicated circuits on extremely small and thin surfaces is a complicated task which very few companies in the world can do reliably and economically on industrial scales. This company has constructed a technical moat by developing appropriate technologies and through a strategic acquisition strategy as well.

The stock is protected by a wide geographical distribution of important customers. The San Jose, CA based management has been able to reach out to industrial clients in Japan and Taiwan, apart from building strong revenue bases throughout North America and Europe. The company is likely to emerge as an important flag-bearer of US manufacturing dominance. It has demonstrated the technological versatility and resilience to hold position in the rapidly changing Semiconductor industry.

The company’s annual sales growth is more than twice the Semiconductor industry achievement during the most recent quarter. The fact that the company has turned from a loss during the last 12 months to a net profit margin of nearly 7% during the last quarter is a sign that the company has achieved product acceptance. Future business prospects therefore appear to be excellent.

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