ASML, the world’s largest supplier of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, announced impressive financial results for the fourth quarter and the full year, as reported by Reuters on January 29. The company’s fourth-quarter orders soared to €7.088 billion (approximately $5.38 billion), significantly higher than expectations. This surge is attributed to strong demand for ASML’s cutting-edge equipment used in the production of artificial intelligence chips.
Despite this positive news, ASML saw its market value drop by over €19 billion earlier in the week, sparked by concerns that DeepSeek’s latest AI model could match the performance of Western models at a fraction of the cost.
According to a survey by Visible Alpha, analysts expect bookings to reach €3.99 billion, an increase from €2.63 billion in the third quarter of 2024.
ASML’s CEO, Christophe Fouquet, highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence on the market, stating, “AI is a clear driving force. We truly believe that AI is transforming the market, and we have already seen our customers benefit enormously.”
Following the report of the fourth-quarter order totals, the European STOXX 50 index futures rose by 0.9%.
For more updates, you can follow ASML and its activities through the company’s official channels.