ASML: second-quarter margin beats forecasts, shares rise

(CercleFinance.com) - Dutch chip equipment maker ASML beat forecasts with a rise in second-quarter margin due to increased demand from logic computer chipmakers, boosting its shares in Amsterdam.


The world's largest maker of semiconductor lithography machines said second-quarter sales, up 15 percent at 2.6 billion euros, came in within guidance.

However, gross margin came in above guidance, rising to 43 percent from 41.6 percent in the second quarter of 2018.

ASML also said that net bookings for new systems rose to 2,828 in the past quarter, from 1,399 a year earlier.

"We expect that the increased demand in logic will compensate for the decreased demand in memory," the group said in a statement this morning.

For the third quarter, ASML expects net sales around 3 billion euros, and a gross margin of between 43 per cent and 44 percent.

Its shares were up 2.2 percent to new highs at 190 euros, while the STOXX Europe 600 Optimised Technology index was up just 0.3 percent.

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