3D Systems Corporation(NYSE:DDD) 3D printing yet again

3D Systems Corporation (DDD) reported earnings on February 25th. The company reported adjusted EPS of $0.39 (before split), a cent over views, but missed revenue expectations, as it reported $101.6 million, and analysts were expecting $103.86 million. Revenue was up 45% over the same quarter last year, and 54% for the year, reaching $354.6 million.

The management said on the conference call that the company introduced 16 new products, and that revenue from new products increased 70% to $131.9 million. Gross margin expanded 390 basis points to 51.2%. Organic growth for the year was 22.4% and 18.8% in the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile the stock continues the downward trend with a possible short term reveral today.

Nanotech Memory That Holds Data For A Billion Years

More ways to use nanotubes, other than space elevators ;)

US researchers have demonstrated a form of nanotube archival memory that can store a memory bit for a billion years, and has a theoretical trillion bits/square inch density.

The researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) Berkeley were led by physicist Alex Zettl. They built a prototype device based on a nanoscale iron particle, about 1/50,000th the width of a human hair, moving along a carbon nanotube like a shuttle.

The nano-structure was created in a single step by pyrolysis of ferrocene in argon at 1,000 degreees C. The created nanotube elements are dispersed in isopropanol ultrasonically and deposited on a substrate with electrical contacts applied to the ends of the nanotube. The researchers say these steps are compatible with common semiconductor manufacturing techniques.

By applying an electric current, the iron particle shuttle could be made to move inside the nanotube either away from or towards the current source. When the current was turned off the particle was, as it were, frozen in position. By applying the current in a timed pulse the particle could be made to move a fixed 3nm distance in steps. The speed of movement could be altered by varying the applied bias voltage.

Source: The register

Nanosphere, Inc.

Adding one more nanotech stock to the list: Nanosphere, Inc. (NASDAQ: NSPH)
As in Google Finance description:

Nanosphere, Inc. is engaged on developing, manufacturing and marketing a molecular diagnostics platform, the Verigene System, that enables genomic and protein testing on a single platform. The Company’s nanoparticle technology seeks to simplify the ability to perform molecular diagnostic tests, achieve ultra-sensitive protein detection, provide the ability to multiplex, or run multiple tests at the same time on the same sample, and to enable the development of test assays to be performed on a single platform. Nanosphere is developing diagnostic tests for a variety of medical conditions including cancer, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and infectious diseases, as well as pharmaco-genomics, or tests for personalized medicine.

Even if this nanotech stock recovered from it's lows back in March, it still looks Bearish, with a very light volume, remember this is still a Micro-Cap Company.

Some Nanosphere recent news:
Nanosphere to Release Three Abstracts At American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2009 Annual Meeting

Nanosphere Announces First Quarter 2009 Results

Extreme FDA Trades on Pending FDA Medical Device Decisions for (OTC:NEPH), (AMEX:BVX) and (NASDAQ:NSPH)

PowerShares Lux Nanotech performance

PowerShares Lux Nanotech (ETF) (Public, NYSE:PXN) Chart:


The Nanotech ETF continues to have a poor performance, and should continue to follow the general markets until the current crisis is resolved.

Remember that effective and profitable Nanotechnology business is still a very long term investment.

Top Holdings on this ETF
(Fund Holdings subject to change)
Elan Corp. PLC (ADS) 8.23%
Flamel Technologies S.A. (ADS) 7.19%
Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. 6.39%
FEI Co. 6.30%
Veeco Instruments Inc. 6.13%
ShengdaTech Inc. 5.93%
Symyx Technologies Inc. 5.84%
Accelrys Inc. 5.31%
NVE Corp. 5.05%
Headwaters Inc. 4.86%

You can see this ETF details here.