NY -- Standard&Poor's CreditWire 11/25/97 -- Standard&Poor's today assigned its single-'B' rating to Lam Research Corp.'s $310 million notes due 2002. Standard&Poor's also assigned its double-'B'-minus corporate credit and bank loan ratings to the company. Lam's ratings reflect the company's solid position in several niche semiconductor processing markets and ample liquidity, offset by the challenges of updating and expanding its product line in the face of aggressive competition and rapid technological change. Fremont, Calif.-based Lam manufactures equipment to deposit, etch, and polish microscopically thin layers on the surface of silicon wafers, as part of the semiconductor manufacturing process. The company is the fifth-largest company in its industry, and is the leading manufacturer in several
