Tech Is No Safe Haven in This Recession

Bloomberg
Qualcomm Shuts Down Hiring After `Dramatic' Order Contraction
By Ian King

Nov. 12 - Qualcomm Inc. Chief Executive Officer Paul Jacobs said he's stopped hiring and is eliminating some research projects after a ``dramatic'' contraction in chip orders from mobile-phone makers.

``We have basically shut off our new hiring growth,'' Jacobs said in an interview in New York today. ``Before it was, `let's let a thousand flowers bloom,' now we're going to do a bit of pruning. We've shut down some projects.''

Jacobs, who heads the biggest maker of mobile-phone chips, said orders dropped off in October because handset manufacturers cut back on their stockpiles of unused parts, a reduction that will last for about two quarters. Consumer demand for mobile phones with Qualcomm chips is holding up, he said. (Holding up what? Bonuses? - Jesse)

``The end market, while it's slowing a little bit, isn't that dramatic,'' said Jacobs, 46. Still, there is ``some uncertainty'' in the company's earnings projections. (If the manufacturers are slashing production you can bet their channels are stuff and crying "enough" - Jesse)

Revenue this quarter may fall as much as 6 percent from a year earlier, the first decline in seven years, Qualcomm said last week. Annual sales increased 22 percent on average in the past six years as Qualcomm benefited from increasing use of its chips in mobile phones that provide high-speed Internet access...