ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Trading Down 1.8% – Time to Sell?

Shares of ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) traded down 1.8% during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $709.56 and last traded at $713.32. 405,327 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 73% from the average session volume of 1,524,909 shares. The stock had previously closed at $726.74.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

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

ASML Trading Down 2.6 %

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 firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $730.70 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $733.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $278.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.54.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last announced 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%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that ASML Holding will post 25.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ASML Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 11th were paid a $1.5855 dividend. 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 currently 31.35%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ASML

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Edgewood Management LLC raised its stake in shares of ASML by 43.1% during the 4th quarter. Edgewood Management LLC now owns 3,186,667 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $2,208,615,000 after purchasing an additional 959,696 shares during the period. Amundi boosted its position in shares of ASML by 4,880.5% in the fourth quarter. Amundi now owns 335,284 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $247,019,000 after acquiring an additional 328,552 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in ASML by 53.4% during the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 807,257 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $559,494,000 after acquiring an additional 281,156 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in ASML during the 4th quarter worth approximately $175,257,000. Finally, Fisher Funds Management LTD purchased a new stake in ASML in the 4th quarter worth approximately $137,386,000. 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.