SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Nextest Systems Corporation announced today that it has filed a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission relating to a proposed initial public offering of shares of its common stock. The shares in the offering are being offered by Nextest Systems Corporation and certain selling stockholders. Merrill Lynch & Co. will serve as sole book-running manager for the offering, with Needham & Company, LLC and SG Cowen & Co. acting as co-managers.

About Nextest Systems Corporation

Nextest Systems Corporation is a low-cost leader in the design and manufacturing of ATE for non-volatile memory, micro-controllers, ASIC and System-On-a-Chip (SOC) semiconductors. Nextest's products uniquely address the growing demand from manufacturers for testing equipment with increased speed, reliability, functionality and capacity, while reducing the time to market and cost of test. Nextest has over 1400 systems installed worldwide. Further information is available at www.nextest.com.

     Nextest Investor Relations:      Nextest Agency Contact:
     So-Yeon Jeong                    GEM Design & Public Relations
     Manager, Investor Relations      Connie Graybeal-Berar
     408.817.7276                     408.529.4694

    Safe Harbor Statement

A registration statement related to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor may there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be lawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state.

CONTACT: So-Yeon Jeong, Manager, Investor Relations, of Nextest Systems
Corporation, +1-408-817-7276 or Email Contact; or Connie
Graybeal-Berar of GEM Design & Public Relations, +1-408-529-4694 or
Email Contact, for Nextest Systems Corporation

Web site: http://www.nextest.com/