ASML Reports First Quarter Results, Reiterates Guidance

Image: ASML Holding is one of our favorite semiconductor ideas.

By Brian Nelson, CFA

On April 17, ASML Holding (ASML) reported decent first quarter 2024 results. First quarter net sales came in at €5.29 billion on a gross margin of 51.0%. Net income was €1.22 billion in the quarter. Net bookings in the first quarter of 2024 came in at €3.6 billion, down sequentially from the strong net bookings number delivered in the fourth quarter of 2023. The company continues to be shareholder friendly, paying dividends and buying back €400 million worth of stock during the first quarter. Management had the following to say about the quarterly results and outlook:

Our first-quarter total net sales came in at €5.3 billion, at the midpoint of our guidance, with a gross margin of 51.0% which is above guidance, primarily driven by product mix and one-offs. We expect second-quarter total net sales between €5.7 billion and €6.2 billion with a gross margin between 50% and 51%. ASML expects R&D costs of around €1,070 million and SG&A costs of around €295 million. Our outlook for the full year 2024 is unchanged, with the second half of the year expected to be stronger than the first half, in line with the industry’s continued recovery from the downturn. We see 2024 as a transition year with continued investments in both capacity ramp and technology, to be ready for the turn in the cycle. 

As we’ve noted before, ASML Holding is one of the most prolific innovators in the semiconductor industry. The firm provides chipmakers with hardware, software and services to make patterns on silicon with lithography, a vital system in the chip-manufacturing process that increases chip value while lowering costs. The resolution of ASML’s lithography systems contributes to the ever-shrinking nature of transistors and microchips needed for ongoing industry innovation. Smaller and smaller chips save energy, cost and time, and the wavelength of the light used by ASML’s lithography systems can print smaller and smaller features to accommodate required shrink. Though management expects 2024 total net sales to be similar to 2023, we like how ASML is positioned for the long run.