ASML Stock Claimed by Tariff Uncertainty

The semiconductor sector is swimming in red ink today, and ASML Holding NV (NASDAQ:ASML) is one of the primary culprits. The stock is down 6% to trade at $641.56, after the Dutch-based chipmaker reported a lackluster sales forecast. For the second quarter, ASML expects sales between 7.2 and 7.7 billion euros, lower than the 7.8 billion forecast.

CEO Christophe Fouquet said in a statement: "The recent tariff announcements have increased uncertainty in the macro environment and the situation will remain dynamic for a while."

ASML is now down 34% year-over-year, and is a far cry from its July 11 record high of $1,110.09. Along the channel of lower lows spurred by several bear gaps, the shares' 126-day moving average has served as stiff resistance since the start of the year. 

Downgrades could weigh on the equity. Of the 24 brokerages covering ASML, 19 maintain a "strong buy" rating, with zero "sells" on the books. Plus, the consensus 12-month price target of $896.35 is a 39.5% premium to the stock's current perch. 

ASML's normally-quiet options pits are springing to life today. At last check, over 17,000 contracts have changed hands, volume that's quadruple the average intraday amount. The May 500 put the most popular today, with new positions being sold to open. This implies options traders are calling a bottom on the stock at a psychologically-significant level next month.