ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Trading 1.6% Higher – Here’s Why

ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML) shares rose 1.6% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $1,735.53 and last traded at $1,704.37. 1,058,412 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 44% from the average daily volume of 1,894,103 shares. The stock had previously closed at $1,678.22.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. DZ Bank upgraded shares of ASML from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. Barclays restated an “overweight” rating on shares of ASML in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Morningstar lowered ASML to a “sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. Freedom Capital raised ASML from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, April 16th. Finally, Susquehanna restated a “positive” rating on shares of ASML in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have assigned a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,970.33.

ASML Trading Up 1.6%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 1.33. The company has a 50 day moving average of $1,765.59 and a two-hundred day moving average of $1,547.95. The stock has a market cap of $670.30 billion, a PE ratio of 53.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.85 and a beta of 1.79.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Sunday, June 28th. The semiconductor company reported $8.65 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. ASML had a return on equity of 52.71% and a net margin of 30.11%.The company had revenue of $10.64 billion for the quarter. Sell-side analysts anticipate that ASML Holding N.V. will post 44.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ASML Cuts Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 5th. Investors of record on Tuesday, July 28th were paid a $2.1507 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, July 28th. This represents a $8.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. ASML’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 22.59%.

Institutional Trading of ASML

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Capstone Wealth Management Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of ASML by 5.2% during the first quarter. Capstone Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 2,511 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $1,664,000 after acquiring an additional 124 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its stake in ASML by 141.1% in the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 6,871 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $4,553,000 after purchasing an additional 4,021 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its holdings in ASML by 153.1% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 17,210 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $11,404,000 after purchasing an additional 10,411 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in ASML by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,168 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $936,000 after purchasing an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of ASML by 5.2% during the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 11,383 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $9,122,000 after buying an additional 559 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.07% of the company’s stock.

About ASML

ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: ASML) is a Dutch company that develops, manufactures and services advanced photolithography systems used to produce semiconductor chips. Headquartered in Veldhoven, Netherlands, ASML supplies capital equipment and associated software and services that enable semiconductor manufacturers to pattern the intricate circuits on silicon wafers. The company is widely recognized for its leadership in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography as well as its deep ultraviolet (DUV) platforms used across multiple process nodes.

ASML’s product portfolio includes EUV and DUV lithography machines, light sources, imaging optics and control software, together with spare parts, upgrades and field services.