ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) Receives Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Shares of ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) have been given a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” by the eleven ratings firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $937.00.

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. BNP Paribas assumed coverage on shares of ASML in a report on Tuesday, December 3rd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $858.00 price target for the company. DZ Bank raised shares of ASML from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, January 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of ASML from $1,148.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price target on shares of ASML from $815.00 to $767.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, November 29th.

ASML Stock Performance

Shares of ASML stock opened at $716.22 on Monday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $730.88 and a two-hundred day moving average of $735.13. The stock has a market capitalization of $281.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.43, a PEG ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.54. ASML has a 52 week low of $645.45 and a 52 week high of $1,110.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a current ratio of 1.53.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The semiconductor company reported $7.30 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.67 by ($0.37). ASML had a net margin of 26.78% and a return on equity of 47.73%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that ASML will post 25.17 EPS for the current year.

ASML Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 11th were given a dividend of $1.5855 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 11th. This is a boost from ASML’s previous dividend of $1.08. ASML’s payout ratio is 31.35%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ASML

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Carnegie Investment Counsel lifted its position in ASML by 68.9% during the 4th quarter. Carnegie Investment Counsel now owns 2,128 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $1,475,000 after buying an additional 868 shares in the last quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division bought a new stake in ASML during the 4th quarter worth about $1,174,000. Taurus Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in ASML during the 3rd quarter worth about $16,994,000. State Street Corp lifted its position in ASML by 5.2% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 140,802 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $117,323,000 after buying an additional 7,010 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Foundations Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in ASML by 36.7% during the 4th quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC now owns 26,322 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $18,243,000 after buying an additional 7,073 shares in the last quarter. 26.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

ASML Company Profile

ASML Holding N.V. develops, produces, markets, sells, and services advanced semiconductor equipment systems for chipmakers. It offers advanced semiconductor equipment systems, including lithography, metrology, and inspection systems. The company also provides extreme ultraviolet lithography systems; and deep ultraviolet lithography systems comprising immersion and dry lithography solutions to manufacture various range of semiconductor nodes and technologies.