SAN JOSE – North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $1.16 billion in orders in December (three-month average basis), down 26.7% year-over-year and up 18.5% sequentially, says SEMI.

The book-to-bill ratio was 0.88, meaning $88 worth of orders was received for every $100 of product billed for the month. A ratio above 1.0 is considered an indicator of future growth.

The three-month average of worldwide billings in December was $1.32 billion, down 25.2% year-over-year and up 11.8% sequentially.

“The December data reflect a further increase in bookings for semiconductor equipment,” said Dan Tracy, senior director of Industry Research and Statistics at SEMI. “Recent capital spending announcements by leading device manufacturers indicate the potential for continued improvement in 2012.”