Semiconductor Stocks Decline, Figma and Magnum Ice Cream Surge
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 15 2026
0mins
Source: CNBC
- Applied Materials Earnings Beat: Despite reporting fiscal second-quarter earnings of $2.86 per share and revenues of $7.91 billion, both exceeding analyst expectations, Applied Materials' stock fell about 2%, indicating market concerns about the semiconductor sector's outlook.
- Semiconductor Sector Decline: The iShares Semiconductor ETF is poised to end a six-week winning streak, with Marvell and Intel both down 4%, while ASML and Arm dropped over 3.5%, reflecting diminished investor confidence in the industry.
- Figma Stock Surge: Figma's first-quarter earnings of 10 cents per share on revenues of $333 million surpassed analyst expectations of 6 cents and $313 million, leading to a nearly 9% increase in stock price, showcasing strong market demand for its services.
- Magnum Ice Cream Acquisition Interest: Magnum Ice Cream shares jumped over 17% following reports that firms like Blackstone and CD&R are considering a bid, with potential buyers waiting for summer sales data before proceeding, indicating optimism about the company's growth prospects.
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Analyst Views on ASML
Wall Street analysts forecast ASML stock price to fall
12 Analyst Rating
12 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 1605.770
Low
1385
Averages
1583
High
1911
Current: 1605.770
Low
1385
Averages
1583
High
1911
About ASML
ASML Holding N.V. is a holding company based in the Netherlands. The Company operates through its subsidiaries in the Netherlands, the United States, Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia and Israel. The Company operates through one business segment which is engage in development, production, marketing, sales, upgrading and servicing of advanced semiconductor equipment systems, consisting of lithography, metrology and inspection systems. The Company offers TWINSCAN systems, equipped with lithography system with a mercury lamp as light source (i-line), Krypton Fluoride (KrF) and Argon Fluoride (ArF) light sources for processing wafers for manufacturing environments for which imaging at a small resolution is required. TWINSCAN systems also include immersion lithography systems (TWINSCAN immersion systems).
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Nikon Plans to Compete with ASML by Lowering Prices
- Pricing Strategy: Nikon's new CEO Yasuhiro Ohmura announced plans to lower prices on semiconductor photolithography equipment to compete with ASML, which is expected to attract more customers and increase market share.
- In-House Production Advantage: Ohmura highlighted that Nikon's ability to produce many components in-house allows the company to lower product prices while maintaining profitability, enhancing its competitive edge in the lithography equipment market.
- Building Market Trust: Although Nikon has relied heavily on Intel as a primary customer, Ohmura acknowledged that the company has not yet earned sufficient trust in its support capabilities, and it aims to strengthen partnerships with multiple U.S. and Asian chipmakers.
- Growth Driver Plan: Nikon has identified its semiconductor equipment business as a key growth driver in its medium-term plan announced in May, and it is nearing purchase orders for its argon fluoride lithography equipment, indicating a proactive approach to market expansion.
See More
U.S. Stock Indices Reach All-Time Highs Amid Positive Market Sentiment
- Market Optimism: The U.S. stock indices reached all-time highs today, with the S&P 500 up 0.41%, the Dow Jones up 0.43%, and the Nasdaq 100 up 0.66%, driven by improved prospects for a peace deal in the Middle East, reflecting investor confidence in economic recovery.
- Tech Stock Surge: Dell Technologies surged over 30% after providing a sales outlook that exceeded analyst expectations, highlighting relentless demand for AI infrastructure upgrades, which further boosted the entire tech sector's attractiveness to investors.
- Crude Oil Price Decline: Crude oil prices fell more than 1% to a five-week low due to a preliminary agreement between the U.S. and Iran, easing inflation concerns and fostering optimism about a potential recovery in oil supply, which could benefit related industries.
- Strong Corporate Earnings: As of now, 84% of S&P 500 companies have beaten Q1 earnings estimates, with overall earnings projected to rise 12% year-over-year, although excluding the tech sector, growth is only expected at 3%, indicating market reliance on tech for future growth amidst uncertainty.
See More
US Stocks Rise Slightly, Nasdaq Hits All-Time High
- Market Recovery: The S&P 500 index rose by 0.44% and the Nasdaq 100 climbed by 0.62%, indicating a recovery after early losses, reflecting cautious optimism among investors regarding the economic outlook.
- Economic Data Impact: The April core PCE price index increased by 3.3% year-on-year, meeting expectations and indicating persistent inflationary pressures, while April new home sales fell by 6.2% to 622,000, highlighting weakness in the housing market.
- Fed Policy Expectations: Concerns from Fed officials about inflation are intensifying, potentially leading to future rate hikes, with the market pricing in only a 3% chance of a rate cut at the June FOMC meeting, reflecting investor caution regarding monetary policy.
- Corporate Earnings Performance: So far, 83% of the 479 S&P 500 companies have exceeded earnings expectations, with Q1 earnings projected to rise by 12% year-on-year, demonstrating resilience in corporate profitability despite a slowdown in the tech sector.
See More
Mistral AI Accelerates Semiconductor Ambitions
- Semiconductor Strategy: Mistral AI's CEO Arthur Mensch revealed the company's exploration into designing its own chips to reduce AI model deployment costs and enhance competitiveness against OpenAI and Anthropic, although it currently relies on Nvidia's technology.
- Data Center Expansion: The newly announced data center in France focuses on inference processing, with Mistral investing €4 billion in data centers in France and Sweden to ramp up compute capacity, reflecting the urgency of infrastructure development in Europe to meet the needs of AI labs and customers.
- Enterprise Platform Launch: Mistral unveiled a new enterprise agent platform called 'Vibe', capable of autonomously executing tasks such as drafting documents and coding, aimed at competing with U.S. rivals and driving revenue growth, targeting €1 billion in revenue by 2026.
- Market Competitive Pressure: Despite Mistral's revenue target being an increase from €200 million last year, it remains significantly lower compared to OpenAI's projected $20 billion in 2025 and Anthropic's expected $10.9 billion in Q2 2026, highlighting the intense competition in the market.
See More
Mistral AI Plans to Design Its Own Chips
- Semiconductor Ambitions: Mistral AI's CEO Arthur Mensch revealed the company's exploration into designing its own chips, aiming to reduce AI model deployment costs while currently relying on Nvidia, which underscores its strategic intent to enhance market competitiveness.
- Data Center Expansion: Mistral has invested €4 billion in a new data center in France to ramp up compute capacity, addressing the urgent demand from AI labs and customers, highlighting the pressing need for infrastructure development in Europe.
- Enterprise Platform Launch: Mistral unveiled a new enterprise agent platform called 'Vibe', designed to compete with U.S. rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic by offering automated task execution capabilities, further driving the company's revenue growth.
- Revenue Target Increase: Mistral aims to achieve €1 billion in revenue by 2026, a significant increase from €200 million in 2022, yet still dwarfed by the financial scales of OpenAI and Anthropic, reflecting the challenges it faces in the market.
See More
The Potential and Opportunities in the AI Chip Industry
- Industry Growth Potential: AI hyperscalers are expected to spend approximately $725 billion in 2023 on data centers and related hardware, significantly driving the rapid growth of the AI chip industry, particularly increasing demand for semiconductor manufacturers.
- TSMC's Market Leadership: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing holds about 72% of the global foundry market share, with an expected average annual earnings growth rate of 22% over the next three to five years, demonstrating its strong performance and market dominance amid the AI boom.
- Broadcom's Customization Advantage: Broadcom's AI accelerator chips (XPUs) are projected to exceed $100 billion in revenue next year, with an annual growth rate of 49%, providing strong momentum for its expansion in the data center market and attracting numerous clients, including Alphabet and OpenAI.
- ASML's Unique Position: ASML is the world's only supplier of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines, and despite facing geopolitical challenges, it is expected to achieve nearly 30% average annual earnings growth over the next three to five years, highlighting its critical role in the growing demand for AI investments.
See More
Nikon Plans to Compete with ASML by Lowering Prices
- Pricing Strategy: Nikon's new CEO Yasuhiro Ohmura announced plans to lower prices on semiconductor photolithography equipment to compete with ASML, which is expected to attract more customers and increase market share.
- In-House Production Advantage: Ohmura highlighted that Nikon's ability to produce many components in-house allows the company to lower product prices while maintaining profitability, enhancing its competitive edge in the lithography equipment market.
- Building Market Trust: Although Nikon has relied heavily on Intel as a primary customer, Ohmura acknowledged that the company has not yet earned sufficient trust in its support capabilities, and it aims to strengthen partnerships with multiple U.S. and Asian chipmakers.
- Growth Driver Plan: Nikon has identified its semiconductor equipment business as a key growth driver in its medium-term plan announced in May, and it is nearing purchase orders for its argon fluoride lithography equipment, indicating a proactive approach to market expansion.
See More
U.S. Stock Indices Reach All-Time Highs Amid Positive Market Sentiment
- Market Optimism: The U.S. stock indices reached all-time highs today, with the S&P 500 up 0.41%, the Dow Jones up 0.43%, and the Nasdaq 100 up 0.66%, driven by improved prospects for a peace deal in the Middle East, reflecting investor confidence in economic recovery.
- Tech Stock Surge: Dell Technologies surged over 30% after providing a sales outlook that exceeded analyst expectations, highlighting relentless demand for AI infrastructure upgrades, which further boosted the entire tech sector's attractiveness to investors.
- Crude Oil Price Decline: Crude oil prices fell more than 1% to a five-week low due to a preliminary agreement between the U.S. and Iran, easing inflation concerns and fostering optimism about a potential recovery in oil supply, which could benefit related industries.
- Strong Corporate Earnings: As of now, 84% of S&P 500 companies have beaten Q1 earnings estimates, with overall earnings projected to rise 12% year-over-year, although excluding the tech sector, growth is only expected at 3%, indicating market reliance on tech for future growth amidst uncertainty.
See More
US Stocks Rise Slightly, Nasdaq Hits All-Time High
- Market Recovery: The S&P 500 index rose by 0.44% and the Nasdaq 100 climbed by 0.62%, indicating a recovery after early losses, reflecting cautious optimism among investors regarding the economic outlook.
- Economic Data Impact: The April core PCE price index increased by 3.3% year-on-year, meeting expectations and indicating persistent inflationary pressures, while April new home sales fell by 6.2% to 622,000, highlighting weakness in the housing market.
- Fed Policy Expectations: Concerns from Fed officials about inflation are intensifying, potentially leading to future rate hikes, with the market pricing in only a 3% chance of a rate cut at the June FOMC meeting, reflecting investor caution regarding monetary policy.
- Corporate Earnings Performance: So far, 83% of the 479 S&P 500 companies have exceeded earnings expectations, with Q1 earnings projected to rise by 12% year-on-year, demonstrating resilience in corporate profitability despite a slowdown in the tech sector.
See More
Mistral AI Accelerates Semiconductor Ambitions
- Semiconductor Strategy: Mistral AI's CEO Arthur Mensch revealed the company's exploration into designing its own chips to reduce AI model deployment costs and enhance competitiveness against OpenAI and Anthropic, although it currently relies on Nvidia's technology.
- Data Center Expansion: The newly announced data center in France focuses on inference processing, with Mistral investing €4 billion in data centers in France and Sweden to ramp up compute capacity, reflecting the urgency of infrastructure development in Europe to meet the needs of AI labs and customers.
- Enterprise Platform Launch: Mistral unveiled a new enterprise agent platform called 'Vibe', capable of autonomously executing tasks such as drafting documents and coding, aimed at competing with U.S. rivals and driving revenue growth, targeting €1 billion in revenue by 2026.
- Market Competitive Pressure: Despite Mistral's revenue target being an increase from €200 million last year, it remains significantly lower compared to OpenAI's projected $20 billion in 2025 and Anthropic's expected $10.9 billion in Q2 2026, highlighting the intense competition in the market.
See More
Mistral AI Plans to Design Its Own Chips
- Semiconductor Ambitions: Mistral AI's CEO Arthur Mensch revealed the company's exploration into designing its own chips, aiming to reduce AI model deployment costs while currently relying on Nvidia, which underscores its strategic intent to enhance market competitiveness.
- Data Center Expansion: Mistral has invested €4 billion in a new data center in France to ramp up compute capacity, addressing the urgent demand from AI labs and customers, highlighting the pressing need for infrastructure development in Europe.
- Enterprise Platform Launch: Mistral unveiled a new enterprise agent platform called 'Vibe', designed to compete with U.S. rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic by offering automated task execution capabilities, further driving the company's revenue growth.
- Revenue Target Increase: Mistral aims to achieve €1 billion in revenue by 2026, a significant increase from €200 million in 2022, yet still dwarfed by the financial scales of OpenAI and Anthropic, reflecting the challenges it faces in the market.
See More
The Potential and Opportunities in the AI Chip Industry
- Industry Growth Potential: AI hyperscalers are expected to spend approximately $725 billion in 2023 on data centers and related hardware, significantly driving the rapid growth of the AI chip industry, particularly increasing demand for semiconductor manufacturers.
- TSMC's Market Leadership: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing holds about 72% of the global foundry market share, with an expected average annual earnings growth rate of 22% over the next three to five years, demonstrating its strong performance and market dominance amid the AI boom.
- Broadcom's Customization Advantage: Broadcom's AI accelerator chips (XPUs) are projected to exceed $100 billion in revenue next year, with an annual growth rate of 49%, providing strong momentum for its expansion in the data center market and attracting numerous clients, including Alphabet and OpenAI.
- ASML's Unique Position: ASML is the world's only supplier of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines, and despite facing geopolitical challenges, it is expected to achieve nearly 30% average annual earnings growth over the next three to five years, highlighting its critical role in the growing demand for AI investments.
See More
