ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Shares Down 1% – What’s Next?

ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML)’s stock price dropped 1% during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $1,280.36 and last traded at $1,304.01. 1,297,239 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 30% from the average session volume of 1,848,922 shares. The stock had previously closed at $1,317.23.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Barclays reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of ASML in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Zacks Research lowered shares of ASML from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of ASML in a report on Friday, January 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “buy” rating on shares of ASML in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, Berenberg Bank reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of ASML in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have assigned a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, ASML has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,482.50.

ASML Trading Down 1.0%

The company has a market cap of $512.84 billion, a PE ratio of 50.50, a P/E/G ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.88. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $1,393.74 and its 200-day moving average is $1,189.04. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14.

ASML Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 5th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 27th will be given a dividend of $3.1771 per share. This represents a $12.71 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 27th. This is a positive change from ASML’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. ASML’s dividend payout ratio is currently 25.10%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ASML

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ASML. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its holdings in ASML by 195.8% in the fourth quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 1,544,705 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $1,652,618,000 after acquiring an additional 1,022,532 shares during the period. Capital International Investors boosted its holdings in ASML by 17.3% during the third quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 3,919,154 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $3,791,982,000 after buying an additional 577,448 shares in the last quarter. Regents of The University of California acquired a new stake in ASML during the third quarter valued at $413,335,000. WCM Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in ASML by 24.9% in the third quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC now owns 1,933,748 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $1,861,445,000 after buying an additional 385,502 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. increased its holdings in ASML by 75.6% in the third quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 790,869 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $765,632,000 after buying an additional 340,518 shares in the last quarter. 26.07% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

ASML Company Profile

ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: ASML) is a Dutch company that develops, manufactures and services advanced photolithography systems used to produce semiconductor chips. Headquartered in Veldhoven, Netherlands, ASML supplies capital equipment and associated software and services that enable semiconductor manufacturers to pattern the intricate circuits on silicon wafers. The company is widely recognized for its leadership in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography as well as its deep ultraviolet (DUV) platforms used across multiple process nodes.

ASML’s product portfolio includes EUV and DUV lithography machines, light sources, imaging optics and control software, together with spare parts, upgrades and field services.