ALMERE, THE NETHERLANDS--(Marketwire - Jul 25, 2012) - ASM International N.V. (NASDAQ: ASMI and Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) reports today its second quarter (unaudited) operating results in accordance with US GAAP.

Highlights

* Net sales for the second quarter 2012 were EUR 378 million, an increase of 21% quarter-to-quarter and a decrease of 20% year-on-year. Net sales of our Front-end segment decreased 9% quarter-to-quarter while Back-end sales increased by 35%.

* Result from operations for Q2 2012 was EUR 39 million. Result from operations in Q1 2012 was EUR 22 million while the second quarter of 2011 showed a profit of EUR 104 million.

* The Front-end segment's operating loss was EUR 1.9 million compared to profit of EUR 2.9 million quarter-to-quarter. Q2 2011 showed an operating profit of EUR 20.8 million;

* The Back-end segment operating profit was EUR 40.5 compared to EUR 19.0 million quarter-to-quarter. Q2 2011 showed an operating profit of EUR 83.2 million.

* Second quarter 2012 net earnings were EUR 18 million compared to net earnings of EUR 6 million for the first quarter of 2012 and EUR 50 million for the second quarter of 2011, both Front-end (EUR 1 million) and Back-end (EUR 17 million) showed positive net earnings.

* Book to bill in the second quarter was 1.1. For the Front-end the book to bill was 1.0 and for the Back-end segment 1.1. The Backlog increased from Euro 373 million at the end of the first quarter 2012 to EUR 439 million at the end of the second quarter 2012.

Comment

Commenting on the results, Chuck del Prado, President and Chief Executive Officer of ASM International, said: "Sales in Q2 are showing a growth as compared to Q1, this is driven by the Back-end operations. The sales decrease in the Front-end operations is in line with our previous guidance. Bookings improved both in the Front-end and Back-end. While total results in Q2 showed an improvement as compared to Q1, Front-end efficiency issues were still strongly impacting the results. We expect that improvements will become visible in the second half of the year."

Outlook

For the current quarter we expect a sales increase in our Front-end operations. For our Back-end operations, based upon the actual backlog, a sound quarter is expected.

About ASM International

ASM International N.V., headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, and its subsidiaries design and manufacture equipment and materials used to produce semiconductor devices. ASM International and its subsidiaries provide production solutions for wafer processing (Front-end segment) as well as assembly and packaging (Back-end segment) through facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan and Asia. ASM International's common stock trades on NASDAQ (symbol ASMI) and the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange (symbol ASM). For more information, visit ASMI's website at www.asm.com.

Safe Harbor Statement under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: All matters discussed in this statement, except for any historical data, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, economic conditions and trends in the semiconductor industry generally and the timing of the industry cycles specifically, currency fluctuations, corporate transactions, financing and liquidity matters, the success of restructurings, the timing of significant orders, market acceptance of new products, competitive factors, litigation involving intellectual property, shareholder and other issues, commercial and economic disruption due to natural disasters, terrorist activity, armed conflict or political instability, epidemics and other risks indicated in the Company's filings from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Company's reports on Form 20-F and Form 6-K. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future developments or circumstances.

ASM International will host an investor conference call and web cast on Thursday, July 26, 2012 at 15:00 Continental European Time (9:00 a.m. - US Eastern Time, 9:00 p.m. Hong Kong Time).

The teleconference dial-in numbers are as follows:

* United States: +1 646 254 3366

* International: + 44 (0)20 7136 2055

* Access Code: 7262456

A simultaneous audio web cast will be accessible at www.asm.com.

The teleconference will be available for replay, beginning one hour after completion of the live broadcast, through August 24, 2012.

The replay dial-in numbers are:

* United States: +1 347 366 9565

* International: + 44 (0)20 7111 1244

* Access Code: 7262456#

2012 Q2 Press release - Final - 25-07-12: http://hugin.info/132090/R/1629470/521906.pdf

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(i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and

(ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: ASM International NV via Thomson Reuters ONE

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