ASML Raises Outlook
ASML said stronger-than-expected first-quarter demand lifted its revenue outlook for 2026, a sign that AI-driven spending on advanced chipmaking tools is still robust. The company cited new orders tied to AI workloads as the reason for the raised guidance. (reuters.com)
ASML raised its 2026 sales outlook on Wednesday after first-quarter orders showed chipmakers are still spending heavily on artificial intelligence capacity. (asml.com) (reuters.com) The Dutch company now expects 2026 net sales of €36 billion to €40 billion, up from its earlier range of €35 billion to €40 billion. First-quarter net sales were €8.8 billion, with net income of €2.8 billion and gross margin of 53.0%. (asml.com) (euronext.com) Chief executive Christophe Fouquet said demand for chips is outpacing supply and customers are speeding up capacity expansion plans for 2026 and beyond. Reuters reported the company tied the stronger outlook to new orders linked to artificial intelligence workloads. (reuters.com) (asml.com) ASML sits at the center of the chip supply chain because it makes lithography systems, the machines that project circuit patterns onto silicon wafers. The most advanced processors for artificial intelligence data centers depend on those tools to pack in more transistors. (asml.com) (cnbc.com) That makes ASML a readout on whether the artificial intelligence buildout is still moving from chip designers into factory equipment orders. CNBC described the company as a bellwether for semiconductor demand because its machines are required to manufacture leading-edge chips. (cnbc.com) (reuters.com) The company is also navigating weaker access to China, where export controls have limited shipments of some advanced systems. Reuters said the stronger artificial intelligence demand is helping offset that pressure. (reuters.com) (cnbc.com) ASML sold 67 new lithography systems and 12 used systems in the first quarter, while service and upgrade revenue reached €2.5 billion. For the second quarter, it forecast net sales of €8.4 billion to €9.0 billion and gross margin of 51% to 52%. (asml.com) (euronext.com) ASML’s 2025 annual report said it delivered its first full-specification TWINSCAN EXE:5200B system, one of its newest extreme ultraviolet machines, to a customer last year. Wednesday’s outlook increase suggests customers are still preparing to buy more of those top-end tools as artificial intelligence demand ripples through the industry. (asml.com 1) (asml.com 2)
