Buy - Price 24.26 on Oct. 13
by Merriman Curhan Ford

[Veeco makes process equipment for the thin-film solar-energy and semiconductor markets, among others.] We're reducing our FY09E-EPS loss from minus 24 cents to minus 22 cents (consensus: minus 26 cents), and raising our FY10 EPS estimate from $1.10 to $1.20 (consensus: 76 cents). We're also introducing a FY11 EPS estimates of $1.55. We believe Veeco is entering a multiyear-growth cycle. Market cap: $764 million.

Buy - Price 13.65 on Feb. 12
by American Technology Research

Upgrading from Neutral...VECO reported...$106.8 million revenue [versus] Street's $109 million]; pro forma EPS of 7 cents beat the Street's 5 cents. Orders were at high end of the range...[and] data-storage bookings appear to have stabilized...New CEO John Peeler (since July 1, 2007)...reset the bar with an '08 guide-down that appears more achievable (for 10% y/o/y growth, versus consensus 12%). We're reducing our calendar-year '08 EPS estimate from 42 cents to 40 cents...Our 17 target is based on 1.2 times [price]/CY08 sales valuation. Market-cap: $425 million.

Semiconductor Equipment.

MSN Money: Designs, manufactures, markets and services a line of equipment primarily used by manufacturers in the data storage, research and industrial, semiconductor, high-brightness light emitting diode (HB-LED) and wireless industries.

Up 2.8% since last October.

Rule #1 Screen

Target: $24.00

To monitor

Downgraded by Thomas Weisel from Overweight to Market Weight