-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 Qr1irsY5d+8LmM/zC+47BduGO8Z4nBlus9pcyQRrKQ6IlBkImsBeYkwyJtUD0GBS
 wnxRib34KgxlBIWfMe+nOg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-03-019307.txt : 20030820
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-03-019307.hdr.sgml : 20030820
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030820182914
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-03-019307
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030818
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030820

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000945436
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SEMICONDUCTORS & RELATED DEVICES [3674]
		IRS NUMBER:				561505767
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		501 PEARL DR
		CITY:			ST PETERS
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63376
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6364745000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		501 PEARL DRIVE
		STREET 2:		P. O. BOX 8
		CITY:			ST. PETERS
		STATE:			M0
		ZIP:			63376

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			TCW ASSET MANAGEMENT CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000096616
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			CA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-13828
		FILM NUMBER:		03858873

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		865 S FIGUEROA STREET STE 1800
		CITY:			LOS ANGELES
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			90017
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2132440000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		865 SOUTH FIGUEROA STREET 18TH FLOOR
		CITY:			LOS ANGELES
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			90017

	FORMER NAME:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	SHAREHOLDERS ASSET MANAGEMENT CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19750317
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
  <periodOfReport>2003-08-18</periodOfReport>
  <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000945436</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WFR</issuerTradingSymbol>
  </issuer>
  <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000096616</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TCW ASSET MANAGEMENT CO</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11100 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD, SUITE 2000</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
      <isDirector>0</isDirector>
      <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
      <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
      <isOther>0</isOther>
    </reportingOwnerRelationship>
  </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
    <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common Stock, par value $.01 per share</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2003-08-18</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value></value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
        <transactionShares>
          <value>197000</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
          <footnoteId id="F3"/>
          <footnoteId id="F4"/>
          <footnoteId id="F5"/>
          <footnoteId id="F6"/>
        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>11.027</value>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>D</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>159473526</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
          <footnoteId id="F3"/>
          <footnoteId id="F4"/>
          <footnoteId id="F5"/>
          <footnoteId id="F6"/>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>I</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
          <footnoteId id="F3"/>
          <footnoteId id="F4"/>
          <footnoteId id="F5"/>
          <footnoteId id="F6"/>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        <natureOfOwnership>
          <value>SEE FOOTNOTES</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
          <footnoteId id="F3"/>
          <footnoteId id="F4"/>
          <footnoteId id="F5"/>
          <footnoteId id="F6"/>
        </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeTransaction>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Warrants Exercisable For Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>3.00</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <value>2002-07-10</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2011-11-13</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock, Par Value $.01 Per Share</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>3283333</value>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
          <footnoteId id="F3"/>
          <footnoteId id="F4"/>
          <footnoteId id="F5"/>
          <footnoteId id="F6"/>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>3283333</value>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
          <footnoteId id="F3"/>
          <footnoteId id="F4"/>
          <footnoteId id="F5"/>
          <footnoteId id="F6"/>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>I</value>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
          <footnoteId id="F3"/>
          <footnoteId id="F4"/>
          <footnoteId id="F5"/>
          <footnoteId id="F6"/>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        <natureOfOwnership>
          <value>SEE FOOTNOTES</value>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
          <footnoteId id="F3"/>
          <footnoteId id="F4"/>
          <footnoteId id="F5"/>
          <footnoteId id="F6"/>
        </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeHolding>
  </derivativeTable>
  <footnotes>
    <footnote id="F1">TCW/Crescent Mezzanine Partners III, L.P. (???TCW Partners???), and TCW/Crescent Mezzanine Trust III (???TCW Trust???) are parties to the Amended and Restated LLC Operating Agreement of TPG Wafer Holdings, LLC (???Wafer Holdings???), and the Members??? Agreement, each dated as of November 13, 2001, among the shareholders named therein which beneficially own in the aggregate over 10% of the Issuer???s Common Stock.  Those agreements were filed as Exhibits 12 and 13 to the Schedule 13D filed by Wafer Holdings et al. on November 21, 2001.  A Side Letter dated January 25, 2002 added TCW/Crescent Mezzanine III Netherlands, L.P. (???TCW Netherlands???; and together with TCW Partners and TCW Trust, the ???TCW Record Owners???) as a party to those agreements.  The Side Letter was filed as Exhibit 25 to the Schedule 13D/A filed by Wafer Holdings, et al. on January 25, 2002.  Neither the Reporting Person nor the parties described herein other than the TCW Record Owners is a party to or bound by t
he Agreements.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F2">The warrants reported above are owned directly by the TCW Record Owners.  The shares of disposed Common Stock reported above were distributed to the TCW Record Owners pursuant to a pro rata distribution by Wafer Holdings to its members, and at the time of sale were owned directly by the TCW Record Owners.  All other shares of Common Stock reported above are owned directly by Wafer Holdings, of which each of the TCW Record Owners is a member.  The TCW Record Owners disclaim beneficial ownership of securities reported as directly owned by Wafer Holdings except to the extent of the Record Owners??? pecuniary interest as members of Wafer Holdings.  All of the securities described above are indirectly owned by others to the extent described below.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F3">TCW/Crescent Mezzanine III, LLC (???Mezzanine LLC???) is the General Partner of TCW Partners and TCW Netherlands and the Managing Owner of TCW Trust, and disclaims beneficial ownership of securities reported as indirectly owned except to the extent of its pecuniary interest as General Partner or Managing Owner, as applicable.  TCW/Crescent Mezzanine Management III, LLC (???Management III???) is the Investment Advisor of each of the TCW Record Owners, and has delegated all investment and voting discretion with respect to the securities to TCW Asset Management Company (???TAMCO???), as investment sub-advisor.  TAMCO, as the sub-advisor to each of the TCW Record Owners, the Managing Member of Management III and a member of Mezzanine LLC, disclaims beneficial ownership of securities reported as indirectly owned except to the extent of any pecuniary interest.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F4">TAMCO is wholly owned by The TCW Group, Inc., a Nevada corporation (???TCWG???), which disclaims beneficial ownership of securities reported as indirectly owned except to the extent of any pecuniary interest in TAMCO by virtue of TCWG???s ownership of TAMCO.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F5">TCWG, together with its direct and indirect subsidiaries, collectively constitute The TCW Group, Inc. business unit (the ???TCW Business Unit???). The TCW Business Unit is primarily engaged in the provision of investment management services.  The ultimate parent company of TCWG is Soci??t?? G??n??rale, S.A., a company incorporated under the laws of France (???SG???).  The principal business of SG is acting as a holding company for a global financial services group, which includes certain distinct specialized business units that are independently operated, including the TCW Business Unit.  SG, for purposes of the federal securities laws, may be deemed ultimately to control TCWG and the TCW Business Unit.  SG, its executive officers and directors, and its direct and indirect subsidiaries (including all of its business units except the TCW Business Unit), may beneficially own securities of the Issuer and such securities are not reported in this statement.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F6">In accordance with Exchange Act Release No. 34-39538 (January 12, 1998) and due to the separate management and independent operation of its business units, SG disclaims beneficial ownership of securities of the Issuer beneficially owned by the TCW Business Unit.  Each member of the TCW Business Unit disclaims beneficial ownership of securities of the Issuer beneficially owned by SG and any of SG???s other business units.</footnote>
  </footnotes>
  <ownerSignature>
    <signatureName>Sean Plater, Authorized Signatory</signatureName>
    <signatureDate>2003-08-20</signatureDate>
  </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----