Marvell Technology Inc (MRVL)

[Lakers_w]

Bluetooth attach rates in handsets to increase to 40 to 50%
[This is great for MRVL for it integrated Bluetooth 2.0 EDR+ w/ 11g, and Bluetooth+AM/FM radio. OEMs love this integration to save cost, power, area. CSR doesn't have 11g to integrate with.]

CSR sees double-digit sales hike
http://eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=199203120

MUNICH, Germany — Bluetooth and wireless chip specialist CSR plc raised sales in its first quarter of the year by 19 percent and significantly increased its R&D budget. In addition, the company booked several wins at major handset manufacturers.

Revenues at the Cambridge, UK, based company were $160 million, while gross margin declined somewhat to 45.1 percent, 1.3 percent points lower than in the same quarter 2006. The company increased its R&D investments by almost 50 percent over Q1 2006 to $33.2 million.

The company achieved product wins in Nokia's N95, 6300 and Samsung's SGH-U600 handsets. Besides these GSM wins, CSR also was selected for four CDMA designs based on Qualcomm chipsets. In addition, the company booked wins in the Bluetooth market segment. Legal changes which impose tougher penalties to drives who at the same time use a mobile phone have led to increased design wins in the Bluetooth segment , the company said.

For the time ahead, CSR expects Bluetooth attach rates in mobile handsets to increase to 40 to 50 percent in the current year from 35 percent in 2006 . For the second quarter, the company now expects revenues of $195 million to $220 million.