ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Trading 1.9% Higher – Still a Buy?

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) rose 1.9% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $731.95 and last traded at $730.02. Approximately 284,302 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 81% from the average daily volume of 1,526,491 shares. The stock had previously closed at $716.22.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on ASML shares. DZ Bank upgraded shares of ASML from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, January 13th. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their target price on ASML from $815.00 to $767.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on ASML from $1,148.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, BNP Paribas started coverage on shares of ASML in a research note on Tuesday, December 3rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $858.00 price objective on the stock. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $937.00.

ASML Trading Up 1.8 %

The company has a 50 day moving average price of $730.88 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $733.81. The firm has a market capitalization of $286.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.04, 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 quick ratio of 0.99 and a current ratio of 1.53.

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 the consensus estimate of $7.67 by ($0.37). ASML had a net margin of 26.78% and a return on equity of 47.73%. On average, research analysts forecast that ASML Holding will post 25.17 EPS for the current year.

ASML Increases Dividend

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On ASML

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Kennebec Savings Bank raised its stake in ASML by 227.3% in the 4th quarter. Kennebec Savings Bank now owns 36 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 25 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Shields & Co. LLC grew its holdings in shares of ASML by 740.0% during the fourth quarter. Wellington Shields & Co. LLC now owns 42 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 37 shares in the last quarter. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of ASML in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Albion Financial Group UT lifted its stake in shares of ASML by 133.3% in the fourth quarter. Albion Financial Group UT now owns 56 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 32 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Roxbury Financial LLC acquired a new position in ASML during the fourth quarter worth about $39,000. 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.