Rhumbline Advisers Sells 775 Shares of ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML)

Rhumbline Advisers decreased its holdings in ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) by 9.4% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 7,460 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock after selling 775 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers’ holdings in ASML were worth $5,170,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. WASHINGTON TRUST Co lifted its stake in shares of ASML by 1.8% in the 4th quarter. WASHINGTON TRUST Co now owns 19,488 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $13,507,000 after purchasing an additional 338 shares during the last quarter. Center for Financial Planning Inc. purchased a new stake in ASML during the 4th quarter valued at $120,000. ABC Arbitrage SA purchased a new stake in ASML during the 4th quarter valued at $1,525,000. Autumn Glory Partners LLC boosted its stake in ASML by 182.5% during the fourth quarter. Autumn Glory Partners LLC now owns 1,147 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $795,000 after buying an additional 741 shares during the period. Finally, Pictet North America Advisors SA increased its position in ASML by 29.4% during the fourth quarter. Pictet North America Advisors SA now owns 7,674 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $5,319,000 after acquiring an additional 1,745 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 26.07% of the company’s stock.

ASML Stock Performance

ASML stock opened at $697.70 on Friday. ASML Holding has a fifty-two week low of $645.45 and a fifty-two week high of $1,110.09. The company has a market capitalization of $274.49 billion, a PE ratio of 33.54, a P/E/G ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.47. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $733.09 and a 200-day moving average price of $755.88. 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 issued its 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 net margin of 26.78% and a return on equity of 47.73%. As a group, equities analysts forecast that ASML Holding will post 25.17 earnings per share for the current year.

ASML Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Shareholders 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 of this dividend was Tuesday, February 11th. ASML’s dividend payout ratio is presently 31.35%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

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

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.