ASML Holding N.V. (ASML)
ASML is the Dutch powerhouse that builds the incredibly complex machines required to print the world's most advanced computer chips.
Is ASML Holding N.V. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: ASML is the Dutch powerhouse that builds the incredibly complex machines required to print the world's most advanced computer chips.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
ASML maintains its monopoly on advanced chip printing
A breakthrough in alternative chip-making technology
What does ASML Holding N.V. do?
Think of ASML as the gatekeeper of the digital age; they are the only company in the world that makes the extreme ultraviolet lithography machines needed to create the tiny, powerful chips inside your smartphone and AI systems. Its earnings stem from selling these multi-million pound machines and charging for the long-term maintenance and software updates that keep them running. Their fortunes rest on relentless innovation, since chipmakers constantly demand smaller, faster, and more efficient technology.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on quality and growth, and weakest on value.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 0.6% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 21% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 30% of sales into profit
- !High P/E of 56 - big growth is already priced in
- ✓Low debt - a sturdier balance sheet
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 54%)
- Quality screens high (83/100)
- Growth screens high (70/100)
- Unique monopoly position in a critical industry
- High profit margins reflecting strong pricing power
- Essential role in the global AI and computing supply chain
- Value screens low (12/100)
- Geopolitical tensions affecting trade with major markets
- Heavy reliance on a small number of large customers
- Risk of technological disruption from new manufacturing methods
What do ASML Holding N.V.'s numbers mean?
How much money does ASML Holding N.V. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does ASML Holding N.V. pay a dividend?
Yes - ASML Holding N.V. currently pays a dividend of about 0.6% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does ASML Holding N.V. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
ASML Holding N.V. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-14 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-13 | $6.90 | $7.58 | Beat +10% |
| 2026-04-14 | $6.62 | $7.15 | Beat +8% |
| 2026-01-27 | $7.55 | $7.34 | Missed -3% |
| 2025-10-15 | $5.37 | $5.49 | Beat +2% |
| 2025-07-16 | $5.25 | $5.90 | Beat +12% |
| 2025-04-16 | $5.79 | $6.00 | Beat +4% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, ASML Holding N.V. came in ahead of what analysts expected 5 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Hewlett Packard EnterpriseWhat are the scenarios for ASML Holding N.V.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of ASML Holding N.V.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Unique monopoly position in a critical industry
- High profit margins reflecting strong pricing power
- Essential role in the global AI and computing supply chain
- Very high valuation compared to typical companies
- Small dividend yield may not appeal to income-focused investors
- High share price volatility
- Geopolitical tensions affecting trade with major markets
- Heavy reliance on a small number of large customers
- Risk of technological disruption from new manufacturing methods
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A significant drop in the company's gross margins
- A major competitor successfully launching a rival machine
- A sustained decline in global semiconductor capital expenditure
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.