ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Trading Up 3.8% - Here's What Happened

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML - Get Free Report)'s share price rose 3.8% during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $666.49 and last traded at $662.77. Approximately 747,951 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 54% from the average daily volume of 1,627,098 shares. The stock had previously closed at $638.69.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on ASML from $860.00 to $840.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 17th. DZ Bank upgraded shares of ASML from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Susquehanna dropped their target price on shares of ASML from $1,100.00 to $965.00 and set a "positive" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 17th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target 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. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $906.00.

ASML Trading Up 3.6 %

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 stock's 50-day moving average is $692.12 and its two-hundred day moving average is $709.86. The company has a market cap of $260.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.80, a P/E/G ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.67.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 16th. The semiconductor company reported $6.31 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.12 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $8.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $7.90 billion. ASML had a return on equity of 47.73% and a net margin of 26.78%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that ASML Holding will post 25.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ASML Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 6th. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.5855 per share. This is a boost from ASML's previous dividend of $1.08. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 28th. ASML's dividend payout ratio is currently 27.48%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of ASML. Morse Asset Management Inc bought a new stake in ASML during the third quarter valued at about $52,000. Advisory Resource Group boosted its holdings in ASML by 21.7% in the 3rd quarter. Advisory Resource Group now owns 1,191 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $992,000 after buying an additional 212 shares during the period. Chelsea Counsel Co. bought a new stake in ASML during the third quarter valued at about $417,000. Anchor Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of ASML by 12.6% in the third quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 1,375 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $1,146,000 after acquiring an additional 154 shares during the period. Finally, Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co. grew its position in shares of ASML by 9.7% during the third quarter. Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co. now owns 21,599 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $17,997,000 after purchasing an additional 1,914 shares in 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.

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