ASML Holding NV Stock Buy Recommendation Reiterated (ASML)

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- ASML (Nasdaq:ASML) has been reiterated by TheStreet Ratings as a buy with a ratings score of B+ . The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, reasonable valuation levels, good cash flow from operations, expanding profit margins and solid stock price performance. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• ASML's debt-to-equity ratio is very low at 0.11 and is currently below that of the industry average, implying that there has been very successful management of debt levels. Along with this, the company maintains a quick ratio of 2.91, which clearly demonstrates the ability to cover short-term cash needs.
• Net operating cash flow has significantly increased by 125.38% to $637.87 million when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, ASML HOLDING NV has also vastly surpassed the industry average cash flow growth rate of -26.54%.
• 46.20% is the gross profit margin for ASML HOLDING NV which we consider to be strong. It has increased from the same quarter the previous year. Regardless of the strong results of the gross profit margin, the net profit margin of 22.37% trails the industry average.
• Compared to where it was a year ago today, the stock is now trading at a higher level, regardless of the company's weak earnings results. Turning our attention to the future direction of the stock, it goes without saying that even the best stocks can fall in an overall down market. However, in any other environment, this stock still has good upside potential despite the fact that it has already risen in the past year.

ASML Holding N.V., through its subsidiaries, engages in designing, manufacturing, marketing, and servicing semiconductor processing equipment used in the fabrication of integrated circuits. ASML has a market cap of $32.39 billion and is part of the technology sector and electronics industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 66.3, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 3.7% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday.

You can view the full ASML Ratings Report or get investment ideas from our investment research center.

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

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