According to Crypto Briefing, ASML posted the best quarter in its history and raised its full-year outlook, yet its stock fell 12% in October. The Motley Fool puts the decline at 11.5%, as investors sold AI-linked chip names across the sector.
ASML lost 12% in October, according to Crypto Briefing, even after what that outlet called the best quarter in the company's history and a higher full-year sales forecast. The Motley Fool, citing S&P Global Market Intelligence data, said the shares fell 11.5% in October. Investors dumped AI-linked semiconductor stocks, and the Dutch chip equipment maker got caught in the retreat.
A strong quarter meets a falling market
On October 14, ASML reported third-quarter 2026 net sales of €11.7 billion, with net income of approximately €5.0 billion. Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) systems made up 49% of system sales in the quarter, and those machines are sold out until 2028.
Management also lifted its full-year 2026 sales guidance to €44–45 billion. Fourth-quarter sales are projected between €14.2–15.2 billion, with gross margin expected around 56–57%.
Reports differ on how the results compared with forecasts. Crypto Briefing said both sales and net income topped expectations. The Motley Fool said revenue slightly missed expectations, while the bottom line beat on expanding margins.
Shares then slipped roughly 2% in regular trading right after the announcement. On October 22, the stock dropped 6.9% in a single session, landing near $1,560.
Chip-sector worries outweigh the results
According to Crypto Briefing, the selling reflected a sector-wide retreat from AI and semiconductor stocks rather than a problem at ASML itself. Intel issued a disappointing fourth-quarter outlook, and Lam Research flagged supply constraints. Both reports fed concern about the chip supply chain.
Inflation data also unsettled investors, and doubts persisted over whether AI spending will generate adequate returns.
The Motley Fool reported that ASML said its customers' demand forecasts had risen enough that it was looking to expand 2028 capacity by more than the 30% already planned. The Motley Fool's analyst wrote that fears over the sustainability of growth at leading AI labs and the impact of a Democratic "wave" election appeared to overshadow those results.
Sources: Crypto Briefing, Fool
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