AI boom drives record sales at Dutch tech giant ASML

Dutch tech giant ASML, which makes cutting-edge machines to manufacture semiconductor chips, said Wednesday the huge demand for AI had powered record sales and strong profits, vowing to scale up production.

ASML, Europe's biggest tech firm by market value, said net profits came in at 5.0 billion euros in the third quarter of the year, compared with 2.1 billion in the same period of 2025.

Strong customer demand prompted the firm to hike its full-year sales forecast slightly, predicting total turnover of between 44-45 billion euros, from a previous projection of 43-45 billion.


ASML is a critical cog in the global economy and a key bellwether for the tech sector, as the semiconductors crafted with its tools power everything from smartphones to missiles.

It has also become a pivotal player in AI, as the only manufacturer of machines high tech enough to provide the advanced chips for AI systems worldwide.

"Our customers continue to increase their short- and medium-term equipment demand forecasts with us, driven primarily by their views on the size and duration of AI-related investments," said the firm's chief executive Christophe Fouquet.

"In light of their demand visibility, some customers are expressing an interest in placing orders with us for 2029 and even 2030," he added.

He said demand was currently outstripping supply and that the firm was seeking ways to boost its capacity for 2028 beyond a 30-percent increase the firm had already announced.

Technological terrorism

The firm said it expected net sales in the fourth quarter to come in between 14.2 billion euros and 15.2 billion euros.

Its third-quarter net sales were a record 11.7 billion euros, compared to 7.5 billion euros in the same period last year. It had forecast 11-12 billion euros.

"All in all, I would say a very, very strong quarter. A record quarter I think is fair to say," said Chief Financial Officer Roger Dassen.

"I think it's a clear indication of the very strong execution that we have against the backdrop of a very, very strong market demand," added Dassen.

The company has been caught in the crossfire of a tech spat between the United States and China and has previously warned its Chinese sales would "decline significantly" this year.

Washington is leading efforts to curb high-tech exports to China over fears they could be used to bolster the country's military.

Beijing has reacted furiously to the measures, describing them as "technological terrorism".

ASML has denied reports of US concerns that one of its advanced chipmaking machines was in China, potentially violating the restrictions.

The Dutch firm holds the monopoly on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography to manufacture the most advanced chips, but China is also reportedly in the early stages of producing its own EUV.

In January, ASML announced a shake-up in its organisation that was expected to result in the loss of around 1,700 jobs in the Netherlands and United States, mainly from leadership roles.

The firm employs roughly 44,700 staff worldwide.