ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Trading Down 1.8% – What’s Next?

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML)’s stock price traded down 1.8% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $709.56 and last traded at $713.32. 405,327 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 73% from the average session volume of 1,524,909 shares. The stock had previously closed at $726.74.

Analyst Ratings Changes

ASML has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. BNP Paribas assumed coverage on ASML in a research note on Tuesday, December 3rd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $858.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 13th. DZ Bank raised shares of ASML from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their price target 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. Finally, 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. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $937.00.

ASML Trading Down 2.6 %

The stock has a market capitalization of $278.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.54. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $730.70 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $733.15. 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%. Equities research analysts forecast that ASML Holding will post 25.17 EPS for the current year.

ASML Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 11th were paid a dividend of $1.5855 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 11th. This is a positive change from ASML’s previous dividend of $1.08. ASML’s dividend payout ratio is 31.35%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. 111 Capital purchased a new position in shares of ASML in the fourth quarter valued at about $482,000. Centaurus Financial Inc. lifted its holdings in ASML by 89.0% in the 4th quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc. now owns 2,659 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $1,843,000 after buying an additional 1,252 shares during the period. Aegis Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of ASML in the 4th quarter worth approximately $468,000. Probity Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of ASML in the 4th quarter worth approximately $238,000. Finally, Siemens Fonds Invest GmbH increased its stake in shares of ASML by 2,336.6% during the fourth quarter. Siemens Fonds Invest GmbH now owns 34,210 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $23,710,000 after buying an additional 32,806 shares during the period. 26.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other 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.