BILTHOVEN, THE NETHERLANDS, May 5, 2008 - ASM International N.V. (NASDAQ: ASMI and Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) reports today its first quarter 2008 operating results in accordance with US GAAP.

 

          First quarter of 2008 net sales of EUR 197.1 million, down 17% from the fourth quarter of 2007 and down 6% from the first quarter of 2007;

          Net earnings of the first quarter of 2008 were EUR 12.6 million, or EUR 0.22 diluted net earnings per share, down 35% as compared to net earnings of EUR 19.1 million, or EUR 0.33 diluted net earnings per share for the fourth quarter of 2007 and up 13% as compared to net earnings of EUR 11.2 million or EUR 0.20 diluted net earnings per share for the first quarter of 2007;

 

          Bookings in the first quarter of 2008 were EUR 187.3 million, down 25% from the fourth quarter of 2007. Bookings from our Front-end segment were down 31% and bookings from our Back-end segment were down 21%. Quarter-end backlog was EUR 190.6 million, down 5% from the end of the previous quarter;

 

          Lowering of Front-end net earnings break even level;

 

          Announcement of appointment VP Global Sales and Service in line with Roadmap to Peer Group Profitability

 

Contact:                                            Naud van der Ven         + 31 30 229 85 40

                                                                            Mary Jo Dieckhaus       + 1 212 986 29 00

                                                                            Erik Kamerbeek            + 31 30 229 85 00