ASML Raises Full-Year Guidance for Third Time in 2026 as Q3 Sales Hit Record on AI Demand

ASML Holding reported record third-quarter sales on October 14 and lifted the low end of its full-year 2026 revenue forecast, marking the third consecutive quarter the Dutch chipmaking equipment maker has upgraded its outlook. The surge is being driven by an accelerating race to build AI infrastructure, with semiconductor manufacturers committing to aggressive capacity expansion plans and locking in long-term supply agreements with ASML.

The company also issued a fourth-quarter sales forecast that came in above analyst expectations, signaling that demand momentum is not fading as the year closes. AI-related investments in both advanced logic and memory chips are driving customer spending across ASML's entire product portfolio, giving the company greater visibility into demand well into 2027 and 2028.

ASML had previously raised its full-year 2026 guidance twice before this report. After Q1 results in April, it lifted its forecast to a range of roughly 36 billion to 40 billion euros, and after Q2 results in July it raised it again sharply to 43 billion to 45 billion euros alongside a gross margin target of 54 to 56 percent. The October update moved the low end of that range higher. The company has also outlined plans to expand its EUV lithography manufacturing capacity by around 30 percent for 2027 and is investigating a further 30 percent increase for 2028 to keep pace with customer demand that management has said is outpacing available supply.