Genesis Minerals to Acquire Vault in A$5.6 Billion Deal After Regis Withdraws 
Nippon Paint Reportedly Offers Up to €7.5 Billion for Akzo Nobel Decorative Paints Business 
Deutsche Bank Fined A$2 Million by ASIC Over OTC Derivatives Reporting Errors 
Stellantis Q2 Vehicle Shipments Rise 10% as North America Drives Growth 
Chinese Chip Stocks Jump as Apple Reportedly Tests CXMT Memory Chips for China Devices 
Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong Expected to Meet Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on AI and Chip Partnership 
SK Hynix Soars 13% in Nasdaq Debut After Record $26.5 Billion IPO 
Oppenheimer Sees CNH Industrial as Top 2026 Agriculture Stock Pick on Dealer Consolidation Strategy 
SK Hynix Prices Record U.S. ADR Offering at $149 After $200 Billion Investor Demand 
Zhipu AI Stock Jumps on Report of Custom AI Chip Development Plans 
SoftBank Corp Partners With Sierra to Expand AI Customer Support Across Japan 
UBS Starts CarTrade Tech With Buy Rating, Sees Strong Earnings Growth and ₹4,000 Target 
Meta Says States Seek $1.4 Trillion in Penalties Over Teen Social Media Addiction Lawsuit 
Bain Capital Exits Kioxia After AI-Fueled Valuation Surge 
Apple Tests China's CXMT Memory Chips as DRAM Maker Gains Global Market Share 
Muji Owner Ryohin Keikaku Stock Soars After Raising Full-Year Earnings Forecast 
Australia Flags Child Safety Gaps at Apple, Meta, Google Over Online Sexual Extortion 
ASML Holding N.V. lifted its full-year 2026 revenue forecast after the Dutch semiconductor equipment giant surpassed first-quarter profit and sales expectations. The results were fueled by accelerating AI-driven chip demand, though tightening export restrictions on China continue to weigh on the company's longer-term outlook.
Shares edged up roughly 1% following the announcement. ASML now projects 2026 net sales between €36 billion and €40 billion, raised from the previous range of €34 billion to €39 billion. The new guidance straddles the €37.68 billion analyst consensus. For the second quarter, the company forecasts revenue of €8.4 billion to €9 billion, with a midpoint slightly below the €9.04 billion market estimate.
First-quarter net income came in at €2.76 billion, topping the €2.54 billion consensus estimate, while total net sales reached €8.77 billion against an expected €8.5 billion. Gross margin improved to 53%, up from 52.2% in the prior quarter, with basic earnings per share at €7.15.
CEO Christophe Fouquet credited the semiconductor industry's strengthening growth trajectory to sustained AI infrastructure investment, noting that chip demand is outpacing supply and prompting customers to fast-track capacity expansion plans. Memory chips made up 51% of new tool sales in the quarter, with South Korean chipmakers Samsung and SK Hynix driving much of that growth.
South Korea represented 45% of quarterly sales, followed by Taiwan at 23%. Meanwhile, China's share dropped to 19% from 36% in the previous quarter amid escalating export control pressures. Proposed U.S. legislation targeting ASML's deep ultraviolet machines could further restrict Chinese sales.
Wall Street analysts remain split — Jefferies flagged potential valuation headwinds, while BofA Securities maintained a buy rating citing rising EUV capacity and improving earnings potential heading into 2027. ASML also announced a 17% dividend increase for 2025, reflecting confidence in its long-term fundamentals.
