ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Trading Up 1.1% - Still a Buy?

Key Points

• Analyst consensus: ASML carries a "Moderate Buy" consensus with an average price target of $1,504.38; notable upgrades include RBC raising its target to $1,700 and Wells Fargo setting $1,750.
• Dividend increase: The company raised its quarterly dividend to $3.1771 from $1.88 (ex-dividend April 27, payable May 5), implying a $12.71 annualized payout and about a 0.9% yield with a 23.24% payout ratio.
• Trading and fundamentals: Shares were up 1.1% to $1,476.50 on Monday with volume down ~42% versus average; ASML has a market cap of ~$580.7B, a P/E of 52.96, and institutional ownership around 26% after several large funds boosted positions.

Shares of ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML - Get Free Report) were up 1.1% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $1,479.30 and last traded at $1,476.50. Approximately 1,080,746 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 42% from the average daily volume of 1,872,182 shares. The stock had previously closed at $1,459.80.

Analyst Ratings Changes

ASML has been the subject of several analyst reports. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their target price on ASML from $1,625.00 to $1,700.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday. DZ Bank restated a "neutral" rating on shares of ASML in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Barclays reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of ASML in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $1,750.00 price target on shares of ASML in a report on Thursday. Finally, Berenberg Bank reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of ASML in a report on Thursday. Three 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 assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,504.38.

ASML Trading Up 1.1%

The company has a current ratio of 1.36, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $1,398.16 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $1,222.60. The firm has a market cap of $580.68 billion, a PE ratio of 52.96, a PEG ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.88.

ASML Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 5th. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 27th will be issued a $3.1771 dividend. This is a boost from ASML's previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 27th. This represents a $12.71 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.9%. ASML's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 23.24%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ASML. Fisher Asset Management LLC boosted its position in ASML by 3.0% during the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 4,484,949 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $4,798,268,000 after acquiring an additional 132,353 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors boosted its position in ASML by 17.3% during the 3rd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 3,919,154 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $3,791,982,000 after acquiring an additional 577,448 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp boosted its position in ASML by 16.6% during the 3rd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 2,148,506 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $2,079,948,000 after acquiring an additional 305,435 shares in the last quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC boosted its position in ASML by 24.9% during the 3rd quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC now owns 1,933,748 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $1,861,445,000 after acquiring an additional 385,502 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in ASML by 8.3% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 1,865,254 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $1,805,733,000 after acquiring an additional 142,763 shares in the last quarter. 26.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About ASML

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.

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