ASML, the Dutch lithography giant that dominates the market for advanced chipmaking equipment, raised its 2026 sales forecast for the second time this year after beating second-quarter earnings estimates.
CEO Christophe Fouquet described customer demand as “extremely strong,” driven by the global AI infrastructure buildout. ASML now expects full-year 2026 net revenue of EUR43 billion to EUR45 billion ($49B-$51B), up from its earlier range of EUR36 billion to EUR40 billion. That represents a roughly 16% increase at the midpoint of the guidance.
The company reported Q2 revenue of EUR9.33 billion, above analyst expectations, and said it would expand manufacturing capacity by 30% in each of the next two years. Analysts had flagged ASML’s lithography capacity as a potential bottleneck for the AI chip supply chain.
Intel confirmed it will use ASML’s next-generation High-NA EUV lithography tools for production of some Panther Lake processors. The tools, which cost roughly $400 million each, are needed for the most advanced semiconductor process nodes.
ASML shares rose nearly 4% on the news and are up 75% year to date. The Amsterdam-listed company remains Europe’s most valuable technology firm, with analysts projecting revenue could approach EUR60 billion by 2028 as AI-driven chip demand continues accelerating.
