The significant 55 tool bookings in Q4 2005 confirm an overall semiconductor cycle upswing. We expect the trend to be sustained in Q1 2006, with bookings at least at the same level as that of Q4 2005 and Q1 2006 sales showing important growth versus the previous quarter.

We reinforced our market position, as we gained 12 new customers in 2005, including our sixth customer in Japan. With 13 immersion systems delivered to date, 13 immersion orders already in our backlog, and 8 pending orders, we are increasing our technology lead in the race to meet customer needs for new generation semiconductor products.

2005 was a year where our continued focus on execution paid off. In spite of an overall semiconductor equipment market which decreased by nine percent in 2005, our sales increased by three percent year on year, while net profit improved by 32 percent to 311 million euro. Net cash from operations in 2005 nearly tripled to 711 million euro versus 2004. We reinforced our market position, as we gained 12 new customers in 2005, including our sixth customer in Japan. With 13 immersion systems delivered to date, 13 immersion orders already in our backlog, and 8 pending orders, we are increasing our technology lead in the race to meet customer needs for new generation semiconductor products.

We see immersion as the technology of choice for the next three to four years. Our long-term forecast shows a very large share of the technology needs to be in immersion.

Because mechanism designers do not generally know which outcomes are optimal in advance, they have to proceed more indirectly than simply prescribing outcomes by fiat; in particular, the mechanisms designed must generate the information needed as they are executed.

My ancestors were fighters, something I have inherited.