ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Stock Price Down 1% – What’s Next?

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML)’s share price fell 1% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $695.40 and last traded at $698.64. 341,840 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 78% from the average session volume of 1,527,340 shares. The stock had previously closed at $705.76.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have weighed in on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their price objective 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 boosted 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. BNP Paribas started coverage on ASML in a report on Tuesday, December 3rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $858.00 price objective on the stock. DZ Bank raised ASML from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on ASML from $1,148.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, ASML has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $937.00.

ASML Stock Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $272.51 billion, a PE ratio of 33.30, a P/E/G ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.54. 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 has a 50 day moving average of $730.29 and a two-hundred day moving average of $732.96.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The semiconductor company reported $7.30 earnings per share 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%. Research analysts expect that ASML Holding will post 25.17 EPS for the current fiscal year.

ASML Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 11th were issued a dividend of $1.5855 per share. This is a boost from ASML’s previous dividend of $1.08. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 11th. ASML’s dividend payout ratio is 31.35%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Carnegie Investment Counsel increased its stake in ASML by 68.9% in the fourth quarter. Carnegie Investment Counsel now owns 2,128 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $1,475,000 after purchasing an additional 868 shares during the period. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division acquired a new stake in ASML in the 4th quarter worth about $1,174,000. State Street Corp increased its holdings in shares of ASML by 5.2% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 140,802 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $117,323,000 after buying an additional 7,010 shares during the last quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of ASML by 36.7% during the 4th quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC now owns 26,322 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $18,243,000 after purchasing an additional 7,073 shares during the period. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp raised its stake in shares of ASML by 12.2% in the 4th quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 9,759 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $6,764,000 after acquiring an additional 1,062 shares during the period. 26.07% of the stock is currently 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.