HM Payson & Co. Buys 28,179 Shares of ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML)

HM Payson & Co. increased its stake in ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) by 39.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 98,899 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock after acquiring an additional 28,179 shares during the quarter. ASML accounts for approximately 1.2% of HM Payson & Co.’s portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest position. HM Payson & Co.’s holdings in ASML were worth $68,545,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. increased its stake in ASML by 4.8% during the 4th quarter. Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. now owns 305 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $211,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of ASML by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC now owns 3,208 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $2,223,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. Trust Point Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of ASML by 2.4% in the 4th quarter. Trust Point Inc. now owns 606 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $420,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. Sunpointe LLC boosted its holdings in shares of ASML by 1.3% in the 4th quarter. Sunpointe LLC now owns 1,114 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $772,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Family Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of ASML by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Family Capital Management Inc. now owns 909 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $757,000 after buying an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 26.07% of the company’s stock.

ASML Stock Performance

Shares of ASML stock opened at $732.22 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $733.25 and a 200 day moving average of $748.39. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $288.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.20, a PEG ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.54. ASML Holding has a 52 week low of $645.45 and a 52 week high of $1,110.09.

ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The semiconductor company reported $7.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates 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, research analysts expect 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. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 11th were issued a dividend of $1.5855 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 11th. This is an increase from ASML’s previous dividend of $1.08. ASML’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.35%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on ASML. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on 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. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of ASML from $790.00 to $860.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 13th. DZ Bank upgraded shares of ASML from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price target on shares of ASML from $815.00 to $767.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 29th. Finally, BNP Paribas started coverage on ASML in a research note on Tuesday, December 3rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $858.00 price objective for the company. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average 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.