ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Shares Down 0.3% - Time to Sell?

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML - Get Free Report)'s stock price was down 0.3% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $736.23 and last traded at $740.09. Approximately 347,921 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 82% from the average daily volume of 1,927,686 shares. The stock had previously closed at $742.59.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently weighed in on ASML. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price target on ASML from $815.00 to $767.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Friday, November 29th. DZ Bank raised shares of ASML from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, January 13th. Susquehanna lowered their price objective on ASML from $1,300.00 to $1,100.00 and set a "positive" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 11th. Finally, BNP Paribas initiated coverage on ASML in a research note on Tuesday, December 3rd. They set an "outperform" rating and a $858.00 target price for the company. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $937.00.

ASML Stock Down 0.5 %

The firm has a 50 day moving average of $722.93 and a two-hundred day moving average of $769.66. The company has a current ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. The stock has a market capitalization of $290.79 billion, a PE ratio of 35.54, a P/E/G ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.47.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The semiconductor company reported $7.30 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.67 by ($0.37). ASML had a return on equity of 47.73% and a net margin of 26.78%. Equities research analysts anticipate that ASML Holding will post 25.31 earnings per share for the current year.

ASML Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 11th will be paid a $1.5855 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 11th. This is a positive change from ASML's previous dividend of $1.08. ASML's dividend payout ratio is presently 26.83%.

Institutional Trading of ASML

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ASML. Carnegie Investment Counsel grew its holdings in shares of ASML by 68.9% during the fourth quarter. Carnegie Investment Counsel now owns 2,128 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $1,475,000 after buying an additional 868 shares in the last quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division purchased a new stake in ASML in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,174,000. Taurus Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in ASML in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $16,994,000. State Street Corp raised its holdings in ASML by 5.2% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 140,802 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $117,323,000 after acquiring an additional 7,010 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Stockman Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of ASML by 7.2% during the third quarter. Stockman Wealth Management Inc. now owns 15,361 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $12,800,000 after purchasing an additional 1,032 shares during 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. 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.