Pictet Asset Management Holding SA Trims Stock Position in ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML)

Pictet Asset Management Holding SA cut its position in ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) by 8.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 13,869 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock after selling 1,273 shares during the quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA’s holdings in ASML were worth $9,612,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Van ECK Associates Corp grew its position in ASML by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 1,788,280 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $1,239,421,000 after buying an additional 31,231 shares in the last quarter. Windacre Partnership LLC grew its holdings in shares of ASML by 4.0% during the third quarter. Windacre Partnership LLC now owns 664,100 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $553,361,000 after purchasing an additional 25,600 shares in the last quarter. Amundi increased its position in shares of ASML by 4,880.5% in the fourth quarter. Amundi now owns 335,284 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $247,019,000 after purchasing an additional 328,552 shares during the last quarter. Stifel Financial Corp raised its stake in ASML by 16.1% in the third quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 258,638 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $215,530,000 after purchasing an additional 35,926 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in ASML during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $175,257,000. 26.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of ASML from $1,148.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 13th. Finally, DZ Bank upgraded ASML from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $937.00.

ASML Trading Up 0.3 %

Shares of ASML stock opened at $669.01 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 1.53 and a quick ratio of 0.99. The business has a 50-day moving average of $721.72 and a 200 day moving average of $729.09. The stock has a market capitalization of $263.20 billion, a PE ratio of 32.16, a P/E/G ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.54. ASML Holding has a 1-year low of $645.45 and a 1-year high of $1,110.09.

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

ASML Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 6th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.5855 per share. This is a positive change from ASML’s previous dividend of $1.08. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 28th. ASML’s dividend payout ratio is currently 31.35%.

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.