The Electronic Design Automation Consortium has reported record new EDA license and services revenues for the fourth quarter of 1998 and full year. The industry group reported revenue up 21% at $3.26bn for 1998, boosted by a 24% fourth-quarter jump to $908m, the 16th consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. New license revenues grew 20% year-over-year to reach $531m and for the full year, new license revenues totaled $1.83bn, up 17% over the 1997 figure. Meanwhile, consulting services revenue totaled $370m in 1998, a 46% increase over 1997. Fourth-quarter revenues of $99m were up 66% over the year-ago quarter and 53% from the prior quarter. Geographically, North America grew 30% for the year to $1.85bn, while Europe’s $642m was 22% higher than 1997. Japan, however, managed less than 1.0% revenue growth for the year at $589m and the remaining regions combined for 5.0% growth to $181m.
All three major categories, CAE, IC Layout and PCB (including new licenses and maintenance revenues) posted double-digit growth, with IC Layout growing the fastest for the eighth straight quarter, and 11 out of the last 12 quarters. The EDAC offers the numbers as proof that the worldwide semiconductor and electronics industries are increasingly looking to its members’ tools and services to catalyze their growth. Publicly-traded companies who contribute revenue data to the EDAC report include Analogy, Artisan Components, Avant!, Cadence Design Systems, Ikos Systems, Mentor Graphics, OrCad, Quickturn Design Systems, Summit Design and Synopsys.
