Blueshift Asset Management LLC Cuts Position in ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML)

Blueshift Asset Management LLC reduced its stake in shares of ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) by 77.5% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 338 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock after selling 1,163 shares during the quarter. Blueshift Asset Management LLC’s holdings in ASML were worth $234,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans raised its stake in shares of ASML by 34.8% during the 3rd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 3,108 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $2,589,000 after acquiring an additional 802 shares in the last quarter. Commerce Bank grew its holdings in ASML by 6.6% in the third quarter. Commerce Bank now owns 3,589 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $2,991,000 after purchasing an additional 222 shares during the last quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of ASML by 31.1% during the third quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 856 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $713,000 after purchasing an additional 203 shares in the last quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of ASML by 4.1% during the 3rd quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 1,165 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $971,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI boosted its position in shares of ASML by 33.0% in the 3rd quarter. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI now owns 262 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $218,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 26.07% of the company’s stock.

ASML Stock Down 2.4 %

ASML stock opened at $716.22 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 firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $730.88 and its 200-day simple moving average is $735.13. ASML Holding has a 12 month low of $645.45 and a 12 month high of $1,110.09. The company has a market capitalization of $281.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.54.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The semiconductor company reported $7.30 earnings per share 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%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that ASML Holding will post 25.17 earnings per share for the current year.

ASML Increases Dividend

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

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