Auger electron spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to investigate the stoichiometry and texture of the indium-oxide films. The films were prepared by the reactive evaporation and reactive ion plating of pure indium in an oxygen atmosphere of similar to 10(-4) Torr. Standard In and In2O3 grains were used to estimate the atomic concentration of the indium-oxide films and to identify the film orientation. We correlated the electrical and optical properties of the films with their atomic concentration and texture. It was found that the films exhibiting low resistivity have atomic ratios of O to In of 1.29-1.31 and full widths at half-maximum for (222) XRD peaks of 0.32 degrees-0.34 degrees.