ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Lifted to “Overweight” at Barclays

Barclays upgraded shares of ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating in a research report report published on Tuesday, Marketbeat.com reports.

Several other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their target price on shares of ASML from $1,072.00 to $1,052.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 12th. Susquehanna increased their price objective on shares of ASML from $1,200.00 to $1,300.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Evercore ISI started coverage on shares of ASML in a research report on Tuesday, April 16th. They issued an outperform rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of ASML from $1,150.00 to $1,185.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, June 17th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of ASML from $1,172.00 to $1,202.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, ASML has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $1,147.80.

ASML Price Performance

ASML stock opened at $809.35 on Tuesday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $997.56 and its 200-day simple moving average is $948.64. The company has a market capitalization of $319.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.98 and a beta of 1.49. ASML has a 1 year low of $563.99 and a 1 year high of $1,110.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a current ratio of 1.52.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 17th. The semiconductor company reported $4.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.87 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $6.24 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6 billion. ASML had a net margin of 26.50% and a return on equity of 49.93%. The business’s revenue was down 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $5.37 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that ASML will post 20.3 earnings per share for the current year.

ASML Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 7th. Investors of record on Monday, July 29th will be paid a dividend of $1.8732 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 29th. This represents a $7.49 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.93%. This is a boost from ASML’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. ASML’s dividend payout ratio is currently 28.55%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On ASML

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. FineMark National Bank & Trust raised its position in ASML by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter. FineMark National Bank & Trust now owns 8,213 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $8,400,000 after buying an additional 303 shares during the last quarter. PARK CIRCLE Co purchased a new position in ASML during the 2nd quarter worth $307,000. Belpointe Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of ASML by 33.5% in the 2nd quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 1,100 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $1,125,000 after purchasing an additional 276 shares in the last quarter. Simon Quick Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of ASML by 15.5% in the 2nd quarter. Simon Quick Advisors LLC now owns 903 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $924,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Foundations Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of ASML by 21.3% in the 2nd quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC now owns 16,227 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $16,596,000 after purchasing an additional 2,853 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.07% of the company’s stock.

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.