ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Trading Down 2.6% – Time to Sell?

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) shares were down 2.6% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $711.21 and last traded at $715.24. Approximately 464,738 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 69% from the average daily volume of 1,520,934 shares. The stock had previously closed at $734.06.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on ASML shares. DZ Bank raised 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 report on Tuesday, December 3rd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $858.00 price target on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their price target on shares of ASML from $815.00 to $767.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 29th. Wells Fargo & Company raised 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. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut 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 report on Thursday, January 30th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $937.00.

ASML Price Performance

The company has a market cap of $282.46 billion, a PE ratio of 34.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.54. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $731.34 and its 200-day moving average price is $736.43. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) 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 net margin of 26.78% and a return on equity of 47.73%. As a group, analysts forecast 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 was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 11th were paid 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 payout ratio is 31.35%.

Institutional Trading of ASML

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in ASML. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of ASML by 104.4% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 7,009 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $5,840,000 after buying an additional 3,580 shares during the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans increased its stake in shares of ASML by 34.8% in the third quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 3,108 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $2,589,000 after buying an additional 802 shares during the last quarter. Commerce Bank increased its stake in shares of ASML by 6.6% in the third quarter. Commerce Bank now owns 3,589 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $2,991,000 after buying an additional 222 shares during the last quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of ASML by 31.1% in the third quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 856 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $713,000 after buying an additional 203 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moors & Cabot Inc. increased its stake in shares of ASML by 4.1% in the third quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 1,165 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $971,000 after buying an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 26.07% of the company’s stock.

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.