ASML Holding NV (NASDAQ:ASML, XETRA:ASME) shares rose about 3% at the open on Wednesday after the semiconductor equipment maker reported second quarter results that topped expectations and raised its full-year 2026 revenue forecast.
The company posted second-quarter revenue of €9.33 billion (US$10.66 billion), above analyst estimates of €8.8 billion. Net income came in at €2.92 billion (US$3.33 billion), while earnings per share were €7.59 (US$8.67), both exceeding consensus forecasts.
ASML reported a gross margin of 54% for the quarter, above its guidance, which it attributed primarily to higher-than-expected Installed Base Management sales.
For the third quarter, the company forecast revenue of between €11 billion and €12 billion, ahead of the analyst consensus of about €10.37 billion. It also projected a gross margin of between 55% and 57%.
ASML raised its full-year 2026 revenue outlook to between €43 billion and €45 billion, up from its previous guidance of €36 billion to €40 billion and above the Wall Street consensus of €39.4 billion. The company expects a full-year gross margin of between 54% and 56%.
ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet highlighted continued demand driven by artificial intelligence, noting that investments in AI and advances in AI technologies are supporting demand for advanced logic and memory chips and providing greater visibility into longer-term customer demand.
“Our customers, in turn, continue to accelerate their capacity expansion plans. This is translating into customer commitments across our product portfolio, providing ASML with increased visibility into longer-term demand,” Fouquet said.
ASML also announced plans to increase its low-NA EUV and DUV immersion production capacity by about 30% in 2027 while evaluating additional capacity expansions for 2028.
Wedbush wrote that the raised 2026 outlook and planned 2027 capacity expansion are consistent with the firm’s view of strong demand for leading-edge logic and DRAM chips supporting AI infrastructure.
The analysts noted that the timing of the planned production increases aligns with their expectation for higher semiconductor spending in 2027 to translate into increased output in late 2027 and early 2028, particularly for memory, while adding that uncertainty remains over when supply will fully catch up with demand.