ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Trading 0.9% Higher - Here's What Happened

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML - Get Free Report)'s share price shot up 0.9% on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $665.67 and last traded at $668.58. 362,508 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 77% from the average session volume of 1,553,325 shares. The stock had previously closed at $662.63.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently commented on ASML shares. 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 research report on Monday, January 13th. DZ Bank upgraded shares of ASML from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of 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. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $937.00.

ASML Stock Down 2.8 %

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 cap of $238.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.67. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $719.26 and its 200 day simple moving average is $728.35.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 return on equity of 47.73% and a net margin of 26.78%. Equities analysts forecast that ASML Holding will post 25.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ASML Increases Dividend

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

Institutional Trading of ASML

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ASML. Kennebec Savings Bank increased its stake in ASML by 227.3% in the fourth quarter. Kennebec Savings Bank now owns 36 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 25 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Shields & Co. LLC boosted its position in ASML by 740.0% during the 4th quarter. Wellington Shields & Co. LLC now owns 42 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 37 shares during the period. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in ASML in the fourth quarter valued at $31,000. Albion Financial Group UT increased its stake in shares of ASML by 133.3% in the fourth quarter. Albion Financial Group UT now owns 56 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 32 shares during the period. Finally, Roxbury Financial LLC bought a new position in ASML during the 4th quarter worth approximately $39,000. 26.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.