Empower Advisory Group LLC Trims Holdings in ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML)

Empower Advisory Group LLC cut its holdings in ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) by 11.5% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 523 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock after selling 68 shares during the quarter. Empower Advisory Group LLC’s holdings in ASML were worth $362,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of ASML. Fairway Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of ASML in the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Kennebec Savings Bank grew its position in shares of ASML by 227.3% in the 4th quarter. Kennebec Savings Bank now owns 36 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 25 shares during the period. Milestone Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in ASML in the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC boosted its stake in ASML by 46.9% in the 3rd quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 47 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Albion Financial Group UT boosted its stake in ASML by 133.3% in the 4th quarter. Albion Financial Group UT now owns 56 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 32 shares in the last quarter. 26.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

ASML Price Performance

ASML opened at $744.80 on Thursday. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $731.65 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $760.09. ASML Holding has a 52-week low of $645.45 and a 52-week high of $1,110.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a current ratio of 1.53. The stock has a market capitalization of $293.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.81, a P/E/G ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 1.47.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The semiconductor company reported $7.30 earnings per share 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%. As a group, analysts predict that ASML Holding will post 25.17 EPS for the current year.

ASML Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 11th were paid a $1.5855 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 11th. This is a boost from ASML’s previous dividend of $1.08. ASML’s dividend payout ratio is 25.67%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on ASML shares. BNP Paribas started coverage on shares of ASML in a research note on Tuesday, December 3rd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $858.00 price target on the stock. DZ Bank upgraded shares of ASML from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their price target on shares of ASML from $815.00 to $767.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, November 29th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target 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. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of ASML from $1,148.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $937.00.

ASML 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.