Micron vs ASML: Which is the Better Semiconductor Investment?
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 07 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
- Company Performance Comparison: Both Micron and ASML are excellent semiconductor companies, but only one is deemed the better investment in this head-to-head comparison, indicating differing market perceptions of the two.
- Stock Price Reference: The stock prices used in this comparison were the afternoon prices from April 4, 2026, reflecting the market's immediate assessment of both companies at that time.
- Video Release Date: The video was published on April 6, 2026, aiming to provide investors with the latest market analysis and investment advice to help them make more informed decisions.
- Investor Focus: In the context of increasing competition in the semiconductor industry, investors need to pay attention to the strengths and potential risks of both companies to make the best investment choices in the future.
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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: 1597.870
Low
1385
Averages
1583
High
1911
Current: 1597.870
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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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
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- Market Expansion: AI hyperscalers are projected to invest $725 billion in 2023, primarily in data centers and the chips and hardware required, driving growth across the semiconductor industry.
- TSMC's Dominance: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing holds a 72% share of the global foundry market, with expected earnings growth of 22% annually over the next three to five years, showcasing its strong performance amid the AI boom.
- Broadcom's Customization Edge: Broadcom's AI accelerator chips (XPUs) offer tailored solutions for clients, with expectations of AI chip revenue surpassing $100 billion next year, propelling its earnings growth rate to 49% annually over the next three to five years.
- ASML's Unique Technology: ASML is the sole supplier of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines, and despite geopolitical challenges, it is expected to achieve nearly 30% annual earnings growth over the next three to five years, highlighting its significance in the growing demand for AI investments.
See More
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- Alphabet's Full-Stack Advantage: Alphabet boasts significant dominance across multiple markets, generating $60.4 billion in search revenue in Q1 2026, a 19% year-over-year increase, and its robust financial position with $64.4 billion in free cash flow provides a buffer against future market fluctuations.
- ASML's Unique Technology: ASML commands nearly 100% of the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography market, reporting net sales of €8.8 billion in Q1 2026, and despite a decline from the previous quarter, it raised its full-year sales forecast to between €36 billion and €40 billion, underscoring its critical role in semiconductor production.
- Long-Term Investment Confidence: The competitive moats of Broadcom, Alphabet, and ASML instill investor confidence during market volatility, as historical performance indicates these companies can maintain strong results even in economic downturns.
See More
Long-Term Investment Opportunities in AI Stocks
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- Financial Resilience: Alphabet generated $60.4 billion in revenue in Q1 2026, a 19% year-over-year increase, and boasts $64.4 billion in free cash flow, showcasing its financial strength and capacity for sustained investment during market fluctuations.
- Technological Barriers: ASML commands nearly 100% of the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography market, with its latest High NA machines costing over $400 million each, highlighting its irreplaceable role and high technical barriers in semiconductor manufacturing.
- Future Growth Outlook: ASML raised its full-year net sales projection to between €36 billion and €40 billion for 2026, with the midpoint reflecting a 16% increase from 2025, indicating ongoing demand and market potential in high-end chip production.
See More
