ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Shares Down 1% - Time to Sell?

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML - Get Free Report)'s share price traded down 1% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $695.40 and last traded at $698.64. 341,840 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 78% from the average session volume of 1,527,340 shares. The stock had previously closed at $705.76.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

ASML has been the subject of a number of research reports. DZ Bank upgraded shares of ASML from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. BNP Paribas began coverage on shares of ASML in a research note on Tuesday, December 3rd. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $858.00 price objective for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on ASML from $1,148.00 to $1,100.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, January 13th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, ASML currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $937.00.

ASML Stock Down 2.3 %

The company has a 50 day moving average of $727.46 and a 200-day moving average of $732.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 1.53 and a quick ratio of 0.99. The company has a market cap of $265.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.54.

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ASML (NASDAQ:ASML - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The semiconductor company reported $7.30 earnings per share (EPS) 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 analysts predict that ASML Holding will post 25.17 earnings per share for the current year.

ASML Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared 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 dividend payout ratio is presently 31.35%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ASML. Edgewood Management LLC lifted its stake in ASML by 43.1% during the fourth quarter. Edgewood Management LLC now owns 3,186,667 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $2,208,615,000 after purchasing an additional 959,696 shares during the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp boosted its stake in ASML by 1.8% in the fourth quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 1,788,280 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $1,239,421,000 after buying an additional 31,231 shares in the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC grew its position in ASML by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 1,252,849 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $868,324,000 after acquiring an additional 33,603 shares during the last quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC raised its stake in shares of ASML by 1.4% during the fourth quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC now owns 962,578 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $667,155,000 after acquiring an additional 13,115 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in shares of ASML by 5.4% in the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 898,544 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $622,769,000 after acquiring an additional 46,028 shares during the last quarter. 26.07% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.