Demand for AI chips surges ASML sharply raises 2026 performance forecast
ASML, the world's leader in lithography machines, released its second quarter 2026 financial report on Wednesday. Benefiting from the continued explosion in demand for artificial intelligence chips, the company's revenue and net profit exceeded market expectations, and it significantly raised its full-year performance outlook. The financial report shows that ASML achieved net sales of 9.326 billion euros in the second quarter, a year-on-year increase of approximately 21%, higher than the company’s previous guidance of 8.4 billion to 9 billion euros; net profit was 2.918 billion euros, with a gross profit margin of 54%, both exceeding market expectations. The company's CEO, Christophe Fouquet, said that the continued advancement of AI-related investments is driving demand for advanced logic chips and memory chips, and customers continue to accelerate production capacity expansion plans, giving the company higher visibility into future market demand. Based on strong order momentum, ASML raised its full-year net sales forecast for 2026 to 43 billion to 45 billion euros, an increase of about 16% from the previous guidance of 36 billion to 40 billion euros; its gross profit margin forecast was raised to 54% to 56%. This is the second time this year that the company has raised its full-year performance guidance. The company expects net sales in the third quarter of 2026 to be between 11 billion and 12 billion euros, with gross profit margins between 55% and 57%. To meet the surge in demand, ASML plans to significantly expand production capacity. The company stated that it will increase the production capacity of low numerical aperture EUV lithography equipment by 30% in 2027 compared with 2026, and is studying an increase of another 30% in 2028; the deep ultraviolet lithography equipment also plans to increase the production capacity by 30% in 2027 and 2028. The company revealed that EUV production capacity in 2027 has been nearly sold out, and a large number of orders have been received in 2028. In terms of technological progress, ASML's high numerical aperture EUV equipment will be used for the first time to produce its most advanced Panther Lake processor, marking the technology's official entry into mass production application.