THE HAGUE, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer ASML said on Wednesday that demand for chips continues to outpace supply, driven by ongoing investment in artificial intelligence-related infrastructure, as it reported stronger financial results for the first quarter of 2026.
The company posted total net sales of 8.8 billion euros (10.4 billion U.S. dollars) in Q1, up 13 percent from a year earlier. Net income exceeded 2.7 billion euros (3.1 billion dollars), representing a 17 percent year-on-year increase.
"Our customers are accelerating capacity expansion plans for 2026 and beyond, supported by long-term agreements with their own customers," said ASML President and Chief Executive Officer Christophe Fouquet. "In recent months, they have increased their expected short- and medium-term demand for our products."
Fouquet said these trends support the company's expectation that 2026 will be another year of growth across all business segments. ASML now forecasts full-year 2026 net sales between 36 billion euros (42.4 billion dollars) and 40 billion euros (47.1 billion dollars), with gross margins projected at 51 percent to 53 percent.
At the beginning of 2026, ASML announced plans to cut approximately 1,700 jobs, primarily in the Netherlands, as part of an effort to sharpen its focus on engineering and innovation. The company did provide updates on the progress of the reorganization in its first-quarter results. ■