ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) Receives Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) has been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the ten brokerages that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $937.00.

Several brokerages recently issued reports on ASML. DZ Bank upgraded shares of ASML from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on 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, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, January 13th.

ASML Stock Performance

Shares of ASML opened at $683.16 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $268.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.84, a P/E/G ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.67. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $703.70 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $716.63. ASML has a 12 month low of $578.51 and a 12 month high of $1,110.09. The company has a current ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last released its quarterly earnings data 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 return on equity of 47.73% and a net margin of 26.78%. Research analysts anticipate that ASML will post 25.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ASML Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 6th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 28th will be given a dividend of $1.5855 per share. This is a boost from ASML’s previous dividend of $1.08. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 28th. ASML’s payout ratio is presently 31.35%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ASML

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Fifth Third Bancorp increased its stake in shares of ASML by 37.8% in the first quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 13,447 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $8,910,000 after purchasing an additional 3,688 shares in the last quarter. Simon Quick Advisors LLC increased its stake in ASML by 24.9% in the 1st quarter. Simon Quick Advisors LLC now owns 2,096 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $1,389,000 after buying an additional 418 shares in the last quarter. Capital Advisory Group Advisory Services LLC raised its holdings in ASML by 25.6% during the first quarter. Capital Advisory Group Advisory Services LLC now owns 1,065 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $706,000 after acquiring an additional 217 shares during the period. Investment Partners Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of ASML by 119.6% in the first quarter. Investment Partners Asset Management Inc. now owns 672 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $445,000 after acquiring an additional 366 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Trinity Financial Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of ASML by 73.5% in the first quarter. Trinity Financial Advisors LLC now owns 871 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $577,000 after acquiring an additional 369 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 26.07% of the company’s stock.

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.