ASML Posts Higher Q4 Profit; Guides Q1 Net Sales At About €1.4 Bln - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML Holding NV (ASML) posted a rise in fourth-quarter IFRS net income to 506.7 million euros, from 320.8 million euros a year before. On a U.S. GAAP basis, quarterly net profit jumped year-on-year to 481.1 million euros, or 1.08 euros per ordinary share, from 297.7 million euros, or 0.65 euros per ordinary share.

For the tri-monthly period, total net sales reached 1.85 billion euros, versus the prior-year figure of 1.02 billion euros.

Looking ahead to the first quarter of 2014, ASML expects net sales of around 1.4 billion euros, a gross margin of about 42 percent, R&D costs of roughly 280 million euros, other income of about 20 million euros, including contributions from participants of the Customer Co-Investment Program, and SG&A costs of some 85 million euros.

In addition, ASML confirmed its first-half 2014 expectation that net sales would be around 3 billion euros, excluding additional sales from its third generation of EUV systems, creating a solid basis for the remainder of 2014.

Further, the company plans to increase the dividend by 15 percent compared with last year. Therefore, the firm would submit a proposal to the 2014 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to declare a dividend in respect of 2013 of 0.61 euros per ordinary share.