THE HAGUE, Netherlands ― Dutch tech giant ASML reported a gain in first-quarter net profits on Wednesday compared to the same period last year and hiked its sales forecast for 2026, citing strong artificial intelligence (AI)-driven prospects for the semiconductor industry.
ASML, which sells cutting-edge machines to make semiconductor chips, said its net profits came in at 2.76 billion euros ($3.25 billion), compared to 2.4 billion in the first quarter of 2025.
“The semiconductor industry’s growth outlook continues to solidify, driven by ongoing AI-related infrastructure investments,” said the firm’s CEO Christophe Fouquet.
The Dutch-based company, Europe’s biggest tech firm by market value, is a critical cog in the global economy, as the semiconductors crafted with its tools power everything from smartphones to missiles.
Total revenue in the first quarter was 8.77 billion euros. This compared to 7.8 billion in the first quarter of last year and 9.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025.
ASML had previously forecast net sales of between 8.2 billion and 8.9 billion euros for the first quarter.
It also issued a new forecast for the second quarter, of between 8.4 billion and 9.0 billion euros.
It forecast total net sales of between 36 billion and 40 billion euros for the full year. This was a rise from its view in January, when it predicted total 2026 sales between 34 and 39 billion euros.
