ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Trading Up 2.7% - Here's What Happened

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML - Get Free Report) shot up 2.7% on Monday . The company traded as high as $732.35 and last traded at $727.90. 766,736 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 56% from the average session volume of 1,759,876 shares. The stock had previously closed at $709.08.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ASML has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price target on shares of ASML from $815.00 to $767.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, November 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on ASML from $1,148.00 to $1,100.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. DZ Bank raised ASML from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. BNP Paribas initiated coverage on ASML in a report on Tuesday, December 3rd. They set an "outperform" rating and a $858.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, January 13th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $937.00.

ASML Trading Up 4.5 %

The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $291.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.56, a P/E/G ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.47. The business has a 50-day moving average of $732.50 and a two-hundred day moving average of $750.10.

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

ASML Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 11th were given a $1.5855 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 11th. This is a positive change from ASML's previous dividend of $1.08. ASML's dividend payout ratio is 31.35%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ASML

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ASML. Fairway Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in ASML in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Kennebec Savings Bank lifted its holdings in shares of ASML by 227.3% during 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 period. Milestone Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of ASML in the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. Wellington Shields & Co. LLC grew its holdings in shares of ASML by 740.0% in the 4th quarter. Wellington Shields & Co. LLC now owns 42 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of ASML during the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. 26.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.