VELDHOVEN – Dutch tech giant ASML Holding reported a sharp rise in new orders for its advanced chip-making equipment in the third quarter, underscoring how the global rush to build artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure continues to fuel demand for cutting-edge semiconductors.
ASML logged €5.4 billion ($6.27 billion) in new orders, more than double the €2.63 billion recorded a year earlier and slightly above analysts’ forecasts, according to consensus data from Visible Alpha. Orders for its top-tier extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines alone reached €3.6 billion, far exceeding market expectations of €2.22 billion.
“We have seen continued positive momentum around investments in AI, and have also seen this extending to more customers,”
— CEO Christophe Fouquet
The strong figures lifted ASML’s shares more than 3% in Amsterdam on Wednesday. The company, Europe’s most valuable by market capitalization, has seen its stock rise nearly 30% this year, boosted by a flurry of AI-related partnerships across the global tech industry.
AI Partnerships Fuel Semiconductor Optimism
Recent collaborations between tech heavyweights have bolstered investor confidence in semiconductor demand. Nvidia and Intel announced a joint effort to develop data-center and PC products, while Samsung Electronics and OpenAI agreed to work together on new AI infrastructure. OpenAI also entered a multibillion-euro partnership with AMD to expand its AI data centers.
Such alliances are expected to drive further purchases of ASML’s chip fabrication tools — especially its EUV systems, which are essential for manufacturing the smallest and most powerful chips used in AI computing.
Trade Tensions and Market Outlook
A recent EU–U.S. trade deal, which set a 15% tariff ceiling on semiconductor exports, brought some relief to chipmakers after months of uncertainty. ASML had earlier warned that tariff-related volatility could dampen growth prospects for 2025.
Fouquet said he now expects 2026 sales to be at least in line with 2025, with demand for EUV machines rising. However, he warned that orders for deep ultraviolet (DUV) systems, which ASML can still ship to China, will likely decline.
Despite that, ASML reaffirmed its 2025 outlook, forecasting about 15% annual sales growth to roughly €32.5 billion, with a gross margin around 52%.
The group remains deeply exposed to U.S.–China trade tensions. China accounted for around 36% of ASML’s sales last year, though its share is expected to fall to just above 25% in 2025 due to export restrictions on advanced chip-making tools.
Tensions could worsen after former U.S. President Donald Trump recently announced plans to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese goods and new export controls on key software technologies. Beijing has retaliated with limits on rare-earth mineral exports, vital for chip production.
Steady Results and Guidance
ASML’s third-quarter sales reached €7.52 billion, broadly flat from a year earlier and slightly below analyst expectations, while net profit rose to €2.13 billion from €2.08 billion. Gross profit climbed to €3.88 billion, translating to a 51.6% margin, which beat forecasts and matched the upper range of company guidance.
For the current quarter, ASML expects sales between €9.2 billion and €9.8 billion, with a gross margin of 51–53%.
