ASML Holding N.V. $ASML is General American Investors Co. Inc.'s 5th Largest Position

Key Points

• General American Investors cut its ASML stake by 11.3% in the first quarter, but ASML remains its 5th largest holding at 4.8% of the portfolio, worth about $72.6 million.
• Institutional interest remains broad: several hedge funds and other investors recently increased or initiated positions in ASML, and institutions now own about 26.07% of the company.
• Analysts remain constructive overall, with Bernstein and Wells Fargo raising price targets and the stock carrying a consensus rating of Moderate Buy; however, valuation, China export restrictions, and sector volatility continue to be key risks.

General American Investors Co. Inc. decreased its stake in shares of ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML - Free Report) by 11.3% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 55,000 shares of the semiconductor company's stock after selling 7,000 shares during the period. ASML makes up 4.8% of General American Investors Co. Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 5th largest holding. General American Investors Co. Inc.'s holdings in ASML were worth $72,646,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Gradient Investments LLC boosted its holdings in ASML by 424.3% in the fourth quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 14,388 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $15,393,000 after acquiring an additional 11,644 shares in the last quarter. Bingham Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of ASML during the fourth quarter valued at $1,444,000. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of ASML by 3.5% during the fourth quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 22,467 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $24,036,000 after acquiring an additional 760 shares in the last quarter. Ervin Investment Management LLC raised its position in shares of ASML by 1,236.4% in the 4th quarter. Ervin Investment Management LLC now owns 33,037 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 30,565 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Keybank National Association OH raised its position in shares of ASML by 21.3% in the 4th quarter. Keybank National Association OH now owns 65,354 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $69,920,000 after purchasing an additional 11,459 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.07% of the company's stock.

ASML Stock Performance

NASDAQ ASML traded down $6.93 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $1,797.32. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,216,618 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,960,671. ASML Holding N.V. has a 12 month low of $683.48 and a 12 month high of $1,999.96. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $1,705.68 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $1,475.73. The company has a market cap of $706.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 64.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 1.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 1.36 and a quick ratio of 0.78.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, March 30th. The semiconductor company reported $8.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of $10.15 billion for the quarter. ASML had a net margin of 27.65% and a return on equity of 48.69%. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that ASML Holding N.V. will post 36.62 EPS for the current fiscal year.

ASML News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting ASML this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Bernstein raised its price target on ASML and kept an Outperform rating, reinforcing the view that the company remains a long-term winner in advanced chip equipment demand.
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple recent articles argue ASML’s specialized lithography machines make it an essential supplier to AI chip makers, and that pullbacks tied to sector volatility may create buying opportunities. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: ASML has also been highlighted as a potential beneficiary of renewed strength in semiconductor stocks and AI-related chip demand ahead of earnings. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data showed no meaningful increase in actual short positioning, so this does not appear to be a major bearish catalyst.
• Neutral Sentiment: One market note said ASML may beat earnings, but warned that a good report may not be enough to justify the stock’s valuation if guidance or broader chip demand disappoints. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts and commentators continue to flag ASML’s lofty valuation, China export curbs, and rising competition as reasons to be cautious heading into results. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Recent semiconductor market swings and event-driven selling in Asian chip stocks have added volatility to the group, which can pressure ASML even when its long-term fundamentals remain strong.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently commented on ASML. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on shares of ASML from $1,971.00 to $2,623.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of ASML from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Sunday, May 3rd. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price target on shares of ASML from $1,625.00 to $1,700.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, April 16th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of ASML from $1,750.00 to $2,200.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated a "neutral" rating on shares of ASML in a report on Monday, June 1st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,854.12.

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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