ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Shares Down 4.1% – What’s Next?

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) shares dropped 4.1% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $640.53 and last traded at $641.44. Approximately 793,304 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 49% from the average daily volume of 1,556,431 shares. The stock had previously closed at $669.01.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on ASML shares. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of ASML from $1,148.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, DZ Bank upgraded shares of ASML from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $937.00.

ASML Stock Performance

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 cap of $245.19 billion, a PE ratio of 29.96, a PEG ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.54. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $721.72 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $729.09.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The semiconductor company reported $7.30 earnings per share 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%. On average, equities research analysts forecast that ASML Holding will post 25.17 EPS for the current year.

ASML Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 6th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 28th will be issued a $1.5855 dividend. This is a positive change from ASML’s previous dividend of $1.08. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 28th. ASML’s payout ratio is presently 31.35%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On ASML

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. increased its holdings in shares of ASML by 4.8% in the fourth quarter. Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. now owns 305 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $211,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the period. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of ASML by 0.4% during the fourth quarter. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC now owns 3,208 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $2,223,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares during the period. Trust Point Inc. grew its holdings in shares of ASML by 2.4% in the fourth quarter. Trust Point Inc. now owns 606 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $420,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. Sunpointe LLC increased its stake in shares of ASML by 1.3% in the fourth quarter. Sunpointe LLC now owns 1,114 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $772,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the period. Finally, Wealth Quarterback LLC raised its holdings in ASML by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Wealth Quarterback LLC now owns 1,331 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $923,000 after buying an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.07% of the company’s stock.

About ASML

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.