Industry-Specific Ratios Specialized ratios are sometimes used in specific industries, For example, the so-called book-to-bill ratio is closely watched for semiconductor manufacturers. A ratio of .93 indicates that for every $100 worth of chips shipped over some period, only $93 worth of new orders was received. In February 2006, the semiconductor equipment industry’s book-to-bill ratio reached 1.01, compared 16.98 during the month of January. The book-to-bill ratio reached a low of .78 during October 2002. The three-month average of worldwide bookings in January 2006 was $1.30 billion, an increase of 6 percent over January, while the three-month average of billings was $1.29 billion, a 2 percent increase from January. What is this ratio intended to measure? Why do you think it is so closely followed?