Balboa Wealth Partners Boosts Stock Position in ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML)

Balboa Wealth Partners lifted its position in ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) by 58.2% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 5,699 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,097 shares during the quarter. ASML makes up 0.9% of Balboa Wealth Partners’ holdings, making the stock its 22nd biggest holding. Balboa Wealth Partners’ holdings in ASML were worth $3,950,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of ASML. Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of ASML by 104.4% in the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 7,009 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $5,840,000 after purchasing an additional 3,580 shares in the last quarter. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC purchased a new position in shares of ASML in the 3rd quarter worth about $61,000. Harbour Investments Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of ASML by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 415 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $346,000 after purchasing an additional 17 shares in the last quarter. GSA Capital Partners LLP purchased a new position in shares of ASML in the 3rd quarter worth about $1,462,000. Finally, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. boosted its holdings in ASML by 25.9% during the 3rd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 12,906 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $10,754,000 after acquiring an additional 2,652 shares during the period. 26.07% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently weighed in on ASML. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, January 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on ASML from $1,148.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 30th. BNP Paribas began coverage on ASML in a 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, Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their target price on ASML from $815.00 to $767.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, November 29th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $937.00.

ASML Trading Up 1.9 %

ASML opened at $703.37 on Thursday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $733.14 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $742.38. The firm has a market capitalization of $276.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.82, a PEG ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 1.53 and a quick ratio of 0.99. ASML Holding has a one year low of $645.45 and a one year high of $1,110.09.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The semiconductor company reported $7.30 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.67 by ($0.37). ASML had a net margin of 26.78% and a return on equity of 47.73%. Analysts predict that ASML Holding will post 25.17 EPS for the current year.

ASML Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 11th were given a $1.5855 dividend. 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 currently 31.35%.

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.