The semiconductor sector experienced a broad uptick on Wednesday, driven by strong earnings reports and optimistic forecasts from prominent companies ASML Holding NV and Texas Instruments Inc. This momentum reinforced burgeoning confidence within the wider technology industry.
Texas Instruments (TI) unveiled its fourth-quarter financial results, posting revenue of $4.42 billion and earnings per share (EPS) of $1.27. While these figures slightly trailed analyst expectations of $4.44 billion in revenue and $1.30 EPS, TI demonstrated a 10% annual growth in revenue. The company’s update included a forward-looking outlook projecting first-quarter revenue between $4.32 billion and $4.68 billion and EPS between $1.22 and $1.48, compared differently against consensus of $4.42 billion and $1.26, respectively. This optimistic forecast helped temper market concerns regarding the subtle miss in Q4 metrics.
TI continues to focus on designing and manufacturing analog and embedded processors with significant exposure to the industrial and automotive sectors. Its client base includes major entities such as Apple Inc., Ford Motor Co., and Nvidia Corp., highlighting its entrenched role in multiple technology supply chains.
ASML Holding NV, a critical supplier of advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment, reported an EPS of $8.61 in the fourth quarter, below the anticipated $9.01. However, it surpassed revenue expectations, delivering $11.40 billion against a forecast of $11.11 billion, marking over 15% growth year-over-year. The company also reported a surge in net bookings for the quarter to 13.2 billion euros, which includes 7.4 billion euros of extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) orders. This inflow increased its backlog to 38.8 billion euros, evidencing sustained customer investments in cutting-edge chipmaking technology.
ASML’s outlook for fiscal year 2026 predicts sales ranging from $39.6 billion to $45.4 billion, aligning closely with the consensus estimate of $41.0 billion. For the first quarter of fiscal 2026, the company forecasts sales between 8.2 billion euros and 8.9 billion euros, with a robust gross margin anticipated between 51% and 53%. Additionally, ASML unveiled a share repurchase program worth 12 billion euros, scheduled through 2028, a move likely aimed at enhancing shareholder value.
The company’s customer portfolio features prominent foundries such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd., Samsung Electronics, and Intel Corp., underscoring ASML’s pivotal position within global semiconductor manufacturing ecosystems.
Market sentiment for semiconductor stocks was further buoyed by reports of pivotal developments in artificial intelligence (AI) technology deployment. One notable report indicated that China granted approval for importation of Nvidia’s H200 AI chips, marking a key milestone amid existing regulatory challenges. In parallel, SoftBank Group is reportedly in discussions to invest an additional $30 billion in OpenAI, which could potentially place OpenAI’s valuation near $100 billion, signaling robust investor interest in AI innovations.
The combination of these corporate performances and AI ecosystem advancements drove premarket stock rallies across multiple semiconductor firms. Shares of Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor, Intel, Broadcom Inc., Advanced Micro Devices Inc., ON Semiconductor, Marvell Technology, and ARM Holdings all showed gains ahead of the trading session.
ASML Holding’s shares surged by 6.22%, reaching $1,545.02 in premarket trade to set a new 52-week high. Other notable performances included Nvidia’s 1.64% rise to $191.61, Taiwan Semiconductor’s 2.51% increase to $346.83, and Intel’s strong 6.51% gain to $46.79. Broadcom advanced 1.65% to $338.29, Advanced Micro Devices climbed 2.26% to $257.72, ON Semiconductor gained 5.03% to $65.78, Marvell Technology added 1.84% to $84.46, and ARM Holdings edged up 1.39% to $116.48.
These performances reflect growing investor confidence fueled by solid fundamentals and expansive demand signals within the semiconductor industry, particularly tied to automotive, industrial applications, and the accelerating AI technology segment.