ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) Short Interest Up 16.1% in January

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,730,000 shares, an increase of 16.1% from the December 31st total of 1,490,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 2,040,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.8 days. Currently, 0.5% of the company’s shares are sold short.

ASML Stock Performance

ASML stock traded up $14.98 during trading on Friday, hitting $751.97. 1,072,028 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,022,670. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. ASML has a 52 week low of $645.45 and a 52 week high of $1,110.09. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $718.04 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $777.78. The stock has a market capitalization of $295.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 1.47.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The semiconductor company reported $7.30 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.67 by ($0.37). ASML had a net margin of 26.78% and a return on equity of 50.53%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that ASML will post 25.07 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have weighed in on ASML shares. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 13th. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price target on shares of ASML from $815.00 to $767.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 29th. BNP Paribas assumed coverage on shares of ASML in a research report on Tuesday, December 3rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $858.00 target price on the stock. DZ Bank raised shares of ASML from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price 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. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, ASML has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $937.00.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On ASML

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of ASML. International Assets Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of ASML by 94,079.7% during the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 491,618 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $4,096,410,000 after acquiring an additional 491,096 shares during the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its holdings in ASML by 37.0% in the 3rd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 1,757,049 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $1,464,061,000 after acquiring an additional 474,653 shares during the last quarter. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd acquired a new stake in ASML in the 3rd quarter valued at about $125,952,000. SG Americas Securities LLC lifted its stake in ASML by 281.3% during the fourth quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 156,693 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $108,601,000 after buying an additional 115,603 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pathway Financial Advisers LLC lifted its stake in ASML by 97,001.7% during the third quarter. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC now owns 113,609 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $94,665,000 after buying an additional 113,492 shares in 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.