8. ASML Holding(ASML_), operating through its subsidiaries, provides advanced technology systems for the semiconductor industry. The company offers an integrated portfolio of lithography systems for fabricating integrated circuits (ICs) and manufacturing semiconductors throughout Asia, the U.S. and Europe.
The stock received 50% buy ratings from analysts with the remaining rating it hold. There are no sell ratings on the stock. Analysts polled by Bloomberg expect the stock to gain an average 12.4% to $46.1 in the upcoming 12 months.
For the latest fourth quarter, the company reported 161.8% increase in total sales to $2.15 billion from a year ago. Meanwhile, net income multiplied to $575.2 million, or $1.3, from $70.7 million in the year-ago quarter. At the end of the quarter, backlog stood at $5,449.5 million, with 57% carrying shipment dates in the next six months.
For first quarter of 2011, net sales are pegged at around $2 billion with gross margin ranging between 44% and 45%. The company estimates to incur $204.9 million in research and development expenses. Meanwhile, based on the current backlog and estimated first-quarter bookings, net sales for 2011 would exceed $7.1 5 billion.
Industry analyst Ben Pang of Caris estimates spending on lithography tools to surpass 23% in 2011 and ASML, being a global leader for the same, will benefit from this forecast. Meanwhile, Gartner projected ASML's lithography market share at 51% in 2009, while a few estimates reckon the share of the 193-nanometer immersion market at 80%