ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Stock Price Down 0.2% – What’s Next?

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) shares were down 0.2% during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $715.00 and last traded at $719.71. Approximately 586,834 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 60% from the average daily volume of 1,457,232 shares. The stock had previously closed at $721.04.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Berenberg Bank upgraded ASML to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 2nd. BNP Paribas assumed coverage on ASML in a report on Tuesday, December 3rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $858.00 price target for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on ASML from $1,207.00 to $1,148.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Susquehanna cut their target price on shares of ASML from $1,300.00 to $1,100.00 and set a “positive” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 11th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of ASML from $1,000.00 to $790.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $943.83.

ASML Stock Performance

The firm has a market cap of $281.64 billion, a PE ratio of 37.48, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 1.49. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $695.51 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $833.46. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The semiconductor company reported $5.80 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.24 by $0.56. The company had revenue of $8.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.66 billion. ASML had a net margin of 26.40% and a return on equity of 47.61%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that ASML Holding will post 20.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ASML Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 7th. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 29th were paid a $1.407 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, October 29th. This represents a $5.63 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.79%. ASML’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.21%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ASML

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its stake in ASML by 104.4% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 7,009 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $5,840,000 after acquiring an additional 3,580 shares during the period. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in shares of ASML by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 5,977 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $4,980,000 after purchasing an additional 164 shares in the last quarter. SPX Gestao de Recursos Ltda purchased a new stake in shares of ASML in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $4,166,000. Milestone Resources Group Ltd boosted its stake in shares of ASML by 0.6% during the third quarter. Milestone Resources Group Ltd now owns 14,115 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $11,761,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FFG Partners LLC purchased a new position in ASML during the third quarter valued at approximately $341,000. 26.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About ASML

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.