Nova Ltd. — Earnings Release 2009

Dec 21, 2009

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Company Contact: Dror David, Chief Financial Officer Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd. Tel: 972-8-938-7505 E-mail: info@nova.co.il http://www.nova.co.il

Investor relations Contacts: Ehud Helft / Kenny Green GK Investor Relations Tel: +1-646-201-9246 E-mail: nova@gkir.com

Company Press Release

NOVA ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL BOOKINGS OF $10M

Company Expects 2009 Fourth Quarter Bookings to Set an All Time Quarterly Record

Rehovot, Israel - December 21, 2009 - Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd. (Nasdaq: NVMI) , provider of leading edge stand alone metrology and the market leader of integrated metrology solutions to the semiconductor process control market, today announced that it has recently received $10 million of new bookings, which together with previously announced orders in the quarter, are expected to set an all time record of quarterly bookings for the company. The orders during the quarter were received from several customers for stand-alone optical CD, integrated metrology and software products. Most of these orders are scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2010.

“Our recent market share gains and penetration to new customers, combined with the swift recovery in industry spending patterns, are expected to result in a very strong finish for the year, in terms of revenues, profitability and year-end backlog”, commented Gabi Seligsohn, President & CEO of Nova. “In light of the improving economic conditions and key customer decisions to significantly increase tool orders to support capacity build up, we believe that 2010 will be a year of significant growth for the company”.

About Nova

Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd. develops, produces and markets advanced integrated and stand alone metrology solutions for the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Nova is traded on the NASDAQ & TASE under the symbol NVMI. The Company's website is www.nova.co.il.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to future events or our future performance, such as statements regarding trends, demand for our products, expected deliveries, transaction, expected revenues, operating results, earnings and profitability. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied in those forward looking statements. These risks and other factors include but are not limited to: unanticipated consequences of the global economic crisis, our dependency on a single integrated process control product line; the highly cyclical nature of the markets we target; our inability to reduce spending during a slowdown in the semiconductor industry; our ability to respond effectively on a timely basis to rapid technological changes; risks associated with our dependence on a single manufacturing facility; our ability to expand our manufacturing capacity or marketing efforts to support our future growth; our dependency on a small number of large customers and small number of suppliers; risks related to our intellectual property; changes in customer demands for our products; new product offerings from our competitors; changes in or an inability to execute our business strategy; unanticipated manufacturing or supply problems; changes in tax requirements; changes in customer demand for our products; risks related to currency fluctuations; and risks related to our operations in Israel. We cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The matters discussed in this press release also involve

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risks and uncertainties summarized under the heading “Risk Factors” in Nova’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2008 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2009. These factors are updated from time to time through the filing of reports and registration statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd. does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.