ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Stock Price Down 1.3% – What’s Next?

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML)’s stock price was down 1.3% on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $733.56 and last traded at $743.56. Approximately 388,742 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 79% from the average daily volume of 1,815,296 shares. The stock had previously closed at $752.98.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, January 13th. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price objective on shares of ASML from $815.00 to $767.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, November 29th. BNP Paribas started coverage on ASML in a research report on Tuesday, December 3rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $858.00 target price for the company. DZ Bank upgraded ASML from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on ASML from $1,148.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $937.00.

ASML Stock Performance

The stock has a market cap of $296.46 billion, a PE ratio of 36.18, a P/E/G ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 1.47. The company has a current ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $726.48 and its 200-day moving average price is $764.28.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The semiconductor company reported $7.30 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates 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, equities research analysts expect that ASML Holding 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 Wednesday, February 19th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 11th will be issued a dividend of $1.5855 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 11th. This is an increase from ASML’s previous dividend of $1.08. ASML’s dividend payout ratio is 26.83%.

Institutional Trading of ASML

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of ASML. CWM LLC raised its holdings in shares of ASML by 5.4% during the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 2,044 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $1,703,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. Carnegie Investment Counsel boosted its holdings in ASML by 5.5% during the third quarter. Carnegie Investment Counsel now owns 1,260 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $1,050,000 after buying an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. grew its position in ASML by 24.5% during the third quarter. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. now owns 61 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $51,000 after buying an additional 12 shares during the period. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. increased its holdings in ASML by 11.6% in the third quarter. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. now owns 838 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $698,000 after buying an additional 87 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Procyon Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of ASML by 18.3% in the third quarter. Procyon Advisors LLC now owns 763 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $636,000 after acquiring an additional 118 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other 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.