Recuperating demand from chipmakers will soften the blow for chip-equipment maker Applied Materials Inc after antitrust concerns scuttled its bid for Tokyo Electron Ltd. Though not its desired outcome after more than 18 months of talks, Applied Materials as a standalone company will be better positioned to focus on its core businesses without the integration costs and distractions of a merger, analysts said. Tokyo Electron, on the other hand, now faces rising research and development costs and even possible market share losses to its former suitor.