Etec Expects 3rd-Quarter Earnings Drop

Etec Systems Inc. said problems with a laser used in making semiconductors will delay its shipment to a customer, causing fiscal third-quarter earnings to fall from the same period a year ago. Hayward-based Etec said one of its Alta 3500 systems, which companies use to create the patterns of circuits on semiconductors, didn’t meet a customer’s specifications. The company said it expects to fix the problem in its fourth quarter, when it will ship the device. Etec didn’t identify the customer. Because of the delay, revenue in the third quarter that ended Thursday will be little changed from the $69.7 million it had in the year-earlier quarter, the company said. Etec said its profit will be less than the $11.5 million, or 51 cents a basic share, it had a year ago. Etec was unchanged at $56.75 on Nasdaq. The company issued the warning after the close of regular U.S. trading.