ASML has announced impressive second-quarter results for 2026, highlighting the semiconductor industry's solid spending patterns driven by AI technology.
The Dutch company generated €9.33 billion in revenue, surpassing analyst expectations of €8.80 billion. Net income reached €2.92 billion, resulting in a gross margin of 54%.
Revised Revenue Outlook
ASML updated its full-year 2026 revenue forecast to between €43 billion and €45 billion, significantly up from the previous estimate of €36 billion to €40 billion. This represents an approximately 16% increase, reflecting strong demand from top customers such as TSMC, Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron, and Intel.
CEO Christophe Fouquet emphasized that these companies are increasing their capacity expansions, further stimulating ASML's growth.
Future Capacity Plans
To meet the growing demand, ASML plans a 30% increase in its EUV lithography capacity in both 2027 and 2028. The expansion will be based on a production foundation of roughly 65 low-NA EUV systems. Almost all the new capacity is already booked.
Furthermore, ASML's High-NA EUV tools are set to be utilized by Intel for its Panther Lake chips, marking a significant step as this advanced technology shifts from laboratory demonstrations to actual production.
Market Trends and Chinese Sales
ASML anticipates that about 20% of its 2026 sales revenue will come from Chinese clients, although this percentage has declined from previous years due to tightening export restrictions. Nonetheless, the absolute sales volume from China continues to rise, driven by local demand for logic chips.
The company’s backlog and revised guidance typically indicate that the investments made today will translate into actual chip production within 12 to 24 months, suggesting continued growth in output through 2027 and 2028.
This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
