FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2006
ADVANTEST CORPORATION
(Toshio Maruyama, Representative Board Director,
President and CEO)
(Stock Code Number: 6857, TSE first section)
(Ticker Symbol: ATE, NYSE)
CONTACT:
Hiroshi Nakamura
(Manager, Accounting Department)
Phone: +81-(0)3-3214-7500
Revision of Dividend Forecast for the Fiscal Year Ending March 2006
Tokyo - March 7, 2006 - Advantest Corporation (the "Company") resolved at a
meeting of its Board of Directors today to revise its year-end per share
dividend forecast for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2006.
1. Reason for the dividends forecast revision
As announced in the Third Quarter Financial Results released on January 26,
2006, for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2006, the Company is exceeding the
previous forecast. Therefore, in response to the consistent support we have
received from our shareholders, the Company revised upward its dividend forecast
to reflect such favorable business outlook.
The Company will increase the year-end dividend from 25 Yen of the previous
forecast by 20 Yen to 45 Yen. Since the Company has paid, on December 1, 2005,
an interim dividend of 25 Yen, the total dividend for the current fiscal year is
expected to be 70 Yen instead of 50 Yen (the annual dividend amount as
previously forecasted).
The Company will propose this upward revision at its Ordinary General
Meeting of Shareholders scheduled to take place in June 2006.
2. Details of the revision
With respect to the fiscal year ending March 31, 2006: (Yen)
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Interim Year-end Total Annual
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Previous forecast
(as of October 26, 2005) 25 25 50
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Current revised forecast 25 45 70
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(Reference) for the fiscal year ended
March 31, 2005 25 25 50
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* Cautionary Statement with Respect to Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking statements" that are based on
Advantest's current expectations, estimates and projections. These
forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other factors that may cause Advantest's actual results, levels of activity,
performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or
implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include: (i) changes
in demand for the products and services produced and offered by Advantest's
customers, including semiconductors, communications services and electronic
goods; (ii) circumstances relating to Advantest's investment in technology,
including its ability to timely develop products that meet the changing needs of
semiconductor manufacturers and communications network equipment and components
makers and service providers; (iii) significant changes in the competitive
environment in the major markets where Advantest purchases materials, components
and supplies for the production of its products or where its products are
produced, distributed or sold; and (iv) changes in economic conditions, currency
exchange rates or political stability in the major markets where Advantest
procures materials, components and supplies for the production of its principal
products or where its products are produced, distributed or sold. A discussion
of these and other factors which may affect Advantest's actual results, levels
of activity, performance or achievements is contained in the "Operating and
Financial Review and Prospects", "Key Information - Risk Factors" and
"Information on the Company" sections and elsewhere in Advantest's annual report
on Form 20-F, which is on file with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission.