ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Stock Price Down 1.3% – Here’s What Happened

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) shares were down 1.3% during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $717.92 and last traded at $729.37. Approximately 747,425 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 63% from the average daily volume of 2,009,927 shares. The stock had previously closed at $739.31.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 13th. BNP Paribas assumed 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 decreased their target price 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. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped 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. Finally, Susquehanna decreased their price objective on ASML from $1,300.00 to $1,100.00 and set a “positive” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 11th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $937.00.

ASML Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. The stock has a market capitalization of $287.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.15, a PEG ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.47. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $719.37 and a two-hundred day moving average of $772.37.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The semiconductor company reported $7.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.67 by ($0.37). ASML had a return on equity of 47.73% and a net margin of 26.78%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that ASML Holding will post 25.31 earnings per share for the current year.

ASML Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 6th. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.6414 per share. This represents a $6.57 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.90%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 28th. ASML’s dividend payout ratio is 26.83%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ASML

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Fairway Wealth LLC bought a new stake in ASML during the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Milestone Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of ASML during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Kennebec Savings Bank raised its stake in shares of ASML by 227.3% during the fourth quarter. Kennebec Savings Bank now owns 36 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 25 shares during the last quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC lifted its holdings in ASML by 46.9% in the third quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 47 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 15 shares during the period. Finally, Brooklyn Investment Group bought a new position in ASML in the third quarter valued at approximately $43,000. 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.