Economic Information Daily News Agency reported on the 14th that Dutch lithography giant ASML said on Wednesday that it expects fourth-quarter sales to exceed analyst expectations, benefiting from sustained strong demand for chipmaking equipment driven by artificial intelligence (AI). At the same time, the company narrowed its 2026 financial outlook range.

    The company expects net sales in the fourth quarter to be between 14.2 billion and 15.2 billion euros (approximately 15.9 billion to 17 billion U.S. dollars), with a gross margin of about 57%. In comparison, analysts previously expected sales of 14.19 billion euros and a gross margin of 55.4%.

    The company narrowed its 2026 net sales forecast range to 44 billion to 45 billion euros, down from a previous range of 43 billion to 45 billion euros, and expects a gross margin of about 56%.

    For the third quarter, net sales reached 11.66 billion euros, an increase of approximately 25% from 9.33 billion euros in the second quarter, setting a new record for quarterly revenue. During the same period, the company's net profit increased from 2.92 billion euros in the second quarter to 4.96 billion euros, a quarterly increase of approximately 69.9%. The quarterly gross margin reached 57.5%, an increase of 3.5 percentage points from 54% in the previous quarter. (rc)