Last year, AMD announced its Griffin CPU, the first processor it has designed from the ground up for notebooks. AMD is pairing its new CPU with a chip set in a Puma platform that aims to take on Intel's Centrino chips for sockets in high-end notebooks.

The Puma platform is slated to ship in the second quarter and AMD insists the product is on track. But one analyst has a slightly different viewpoint.

''Our channel checks suggest AMD's Puma platform for notebooks may have a technical glitch. We have not been able to confirm this with AMD and if a problem exists, AMD could have a fix in the works that saves the launch,'' said analyst Doug Freedman of American Technology Research Inc., in a new report.

''That said, we believe OEMs are attempting to seek alternate solutions,'' he said. ''As a result, we are lowering our estimates on AMD. Our longer term thesis that AMD shares reflect most of the public bad news remains intact.''

AMD denied that there are any issues with Puma. ''I wanted to make sure you understood that the note was written (from Freedman) before getting AMD's comment or response,'' according to a spokeswoman from AMD.

''AMD is not aware of any technical glitches with its next-generation notebook platform, codenamed 'Puma.' Per our commitment at the AMD Financial Analyst Day in December 2007, the 'Puma' platform remains on track for Q2 2008,'' the spokeswoman said.

''Doubling the design wins over the AMD Turion 64 X2 processor launch, AMD expects a record number of powerful AMD notebook solutions available from all of our key OEM customers beginning in Q2,'' she added, referring to its Turion line of processors for notebooks.

Still, the possible setback could represent the latest problem at troubled AMD (Sunnyvale, Calif.). In September, Freedman lowered his estimates on AMD amid snags with its new quad-core, microprocessor line, dubbed "Barcelona." The processor is based on 65-nm technology.

As a result of the problems with Puma, Freedman is lowering his September and December quarterly revenue estimates from $1.762 billion and $1.938 billion to $1.615 billion and 1.785 billioin, respectively.

''As a result of a slightly lower gross margin and the revenue cut, our 2008 net-loss estimate increases from $0.41 to $0.75. For 2009, we lower our revenue estimate to $7.411 billion from $8.049 billiion,'' he said. ''Our 2009 EPS estimate declines from $0.43 to a loss of $0.07.''

AMD recently reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $1.77 billion, or minus $3.06 per share, compared with a year-ago net loss of $576.0 million, or minus $1.08, per share. Revenue was $1.77 billion, unchanged from a year ago.

AMD posted a net loss of $396 million, or minus $0.71 cents per share, for the three months ended September 30.

By: DocMemory
Copyright © 2023 CST, Inc. All Rights Reserved