ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Stock Price Down 2.8% – Should You Sell?

ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML) shares traded down 2.8% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $1,748.85 and last traded at $1,751.73. Approximately 1,290,142 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 31% from the average daily volume of 1,858,386 shares. The stock had previously closed at $1,802.98.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating on shares of ASML in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Berenberg Bank restated a “buy” rating on shares of ASML in a research report on Friday, May 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on ASML from $2,200.00 to $2,400.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Morningstar lowered shares of ASML to a “sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut ASML from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have issued a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,970.33.

ASML Stock Down 2.8%

The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $1,784.83 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $1,573.92. The firm has a market cap of $688.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 54.50, a P/E/G ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 1.79. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a current ratio of 1.33 and a quick ratio of 0.80.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Sunday, June 28th. The semiconductor company reported $8.65 earnings per share for the quarter. ASML had a return on equity of 52.71% and a net margin of 30.11%.The company had revenue of $10.64 billion for the quarter. As a group, research analysts forecast that ASML Holding N.V. will post 44.85 earnings per share for the current year.

ASML Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 5th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, July 28th were paid a dividend of $2.1507 per share. This represents a $8.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, July 28th. ASML’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 22.62%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ASML

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Field & Main Bank bought a new stake in ASML in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Pin Oak Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of ASML during the 2nd quarter valued at $48,000. North Star Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of ASML in the 2nd quarter worth $51,424,000. Dearborn Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of ASML in the 2nd quarter worth $2,015,000. Finally, Trybe Capital Management LP bought a new stake in shares of ASML in the second quarter worth $29,933,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 26.07% of the company’s stock.

About ASML

ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: ASML) is a Dutch company that develops, manufactures and services advanced photolithography systems used to produce semiconductor chips. Headquartered in Veldhoven, Netherlands, ASML supplies capital equipment and associated software and services that enable semiconductor manufacturers to pattern the intricate circuits on silicon wafers. The company is widely recognized for its leadership in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography as well as its deep ultraviolet (DUV) platforms used across multiple process nodes.

ASML’s product portfolio includes EUV and DUV lithography machines, light sources, imaging optics and control software, together with spare parts, upgrades and field services.