Short Interest in ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) Drops By 14.4%

ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest in February. As of February 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,430,000 shares, a decrease of 14.4% from the January 31st total of 1,670,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 1,650,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.9 days. Approximately 0.4% of the company’s stock are sold short.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on ASML shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective 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. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of 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 decreased their price objective 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 research note on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, BNP Paribas initiated coverage on 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 issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, ASML presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $937.00.

ASML Stock Down 3.4 %

ASML stock opened at $714.84 on Friday. 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 business’s fifty day moving average price is $732.88 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $749.78. ASML has a fifty-two week low of $645.45 and a fifty-two week high of $1,110.09. The stock has a market capitalization of $281.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.37, a PEG ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.54.

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

ASML Increases Dividend

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On ASML

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Carnegie Investment Counsel boosted its stake in shares of ASML by 68.9% during 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 in the last quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division bought a new position in ASML during the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,174,000. Taurus Asset Management LLC bought a new position in ASML during the third quarter worth $16,994,000. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of ASML by 5.2% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 140,802 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $117,323,000 after acquiring an additional 7,010 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Stockman Wealth Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of ASML by 7.2% in the 3rd quarter. Stockman Wealth Management Inc. now owns 15,361 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $12,800,000 after purchasing an additional 1,032 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.