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Technology Stocks : ASML Holding NV -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: dr_elis who wrote (1100)	3/24/2006 11:56:36 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 43196

ASML Discloses Results of Annual Shareholders Meeting Friday March 24, 2:00 am ET VELDHOVEN, Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 24, 2006--ASML Holding NV (ASML) today announced the results of its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on March 23, 2006. The Annual General Meeting of Shareholders adopted ASML's statutory financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2005 as well as its revised Remuneration Policy for the Board of Management. In addition, the General Meeting of Shareholders approved the following items: Discharge of the members of the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board from liability for their responsibilities in the financial year 2005. Proposal to amend the Articles of Association of the Company regarding cancellation of the priority shares as well as in relation to a possible amendment of applicable law to extend the term for the record date. The performance stock and performance stock option arrangements for the Board of Management and authorization of the Board of Management to issue the performance stock and performance stock options pursuant to these arrangements. The number of stock options available for ASML employee stock option arrangements and authorization of the Board of Management to issue stock options to ASML employees pursuant to these arrangements. Authorization of the Board of Management to issue 22,000 sign-on shares and 22,000 sign-on stock options to Mr. K.P. Fuchs. The re-appointment of Mr. J.A. Dekker as a member of the Supervisory Board, effective March 23, 2006. Proposal to authorize the Board of Management for a period of 18 months from March 23, 2006, to issue shares or rights to subscribe for shares in the capital of the Company representing up to 10 percent of the issued share capital of the Company; to authorize the Board of Management to issue an additional 10 percent of the issued share capital only in connection with mergers and/or acquisitions; and to authorize the Board of Management to exclude the pre-emption rights in connection with any such issuance, all subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board. Proposal to extend through September 23, 2007 the existing authority of the Board of Management to repurchase up to 10 percent of the issued share capital of ASML at a price between the par value of the shares acquired and 110 percent of the average market price for these securities on Euronext Amsterdam or the NASDAQ National Market. The following subjects were also discussed at the Annual General Meeting: The Company's business and financial situation for 2005 and ASML's focus areas for 2006. ASML's reserves and dividend policy: due to the Company's current growth phase, as well as the cyclical nature of its business, ASML prefers not to pay dividend to its shareholders now, but to return cash by means of a potential share buy back program, subject to whether the Company decides during 2006 to make investments in acquisitions or other activities. The intended appointment of Mr. K.P. Fuchs as a member of the Board of Management effective March 23, 2006. The vacancy in the Supervisory Board in 2007 due to retirement by rotation of Mr. H. Bodt. A presentation about the 2006 Annual General Meeting is available on ASML.com About ASML ASML is the world's leading provider of lithography systems for the semiconductor industry, manufacturing complex machines that are critical to the production of integrated circuits or chips. Headquartered in Veldhoven, the Netherlands, ASML is traded on Euronext Amsterdam and NASDAQ under the symbol ASML. For more information, visit the website at ASML.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: ASML

To: dr_elis who wrote (1100)	4/19/2006 8:51:16 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 43196

ASML first-quarter profit drops 20% ASML launches 400-million-euro buyback By Aude Lagorce, MarketWatch Last Update: 7:26 AM ET Apr 19, 2006 LONDON (MarketWatch) -- ASML Holding, Europe's largest semiconductor-equipment maker, on Wednesday said its net profit shrank 20% on fewer machine sales, but it forecast increased shipments in the second quarter and announced its first return of cash to shareholders as a public company. Net income for the first quarter dropped to 80 million euros ($99 million) from 100.3 million euros a year earlier, short of consensus estimates of 86 million euros. Sales fell to 629.4 million euros from 684.7 million euros. ASML shipped 51 systems in the first quarter against 59 a year ago. The average price for all ASML machines in the quarter, including refurbished ones, rose to 10.8 million euros compared to 10.7 million euros. The average price on the 39 new systems shipped in the quarter, however, came in at 13.5 million euros, below the company's previous estimate of 14.1 million. ASML also announced a 400 million euro stock buyback, marking the first time since it went public in 1995 that it's repurchased shares or paid a dividend. Analysts for SNS Securities calculated that the program will use the largest part of free cash flow generated in 2006. Amsterdam-listed ASML shares rose 2% in early afternoon trading. Positive outlook on second quarter The company was confident about the second quarter. "ASML will be delivering significant sales growth in the second quarter and is preparing to support a positive outlook for the whole year,'' Chief Executive Officer Eric Meurice said in the statement. "We expect a sustained level of unit bookings in the second quarter similar to that of the first quarter." The optimistic forecast goes against some analysts' expectations. In its preview of the results, Deutsche Bank expected ASML to guide to flat to slightly down bookings in the second quarter. Order backlog, a gauge of future sales, rose to 106 systems worth 1.6 billion euros in the first quarter compared to 95 systems worth 1.43 billion euros at the end of the fourth quarter. ASML expects to ship 64 systems in the second quarter, up from 51 systems shipped in the first, with an average selling price of 12.3 million euros in the second quarter. Analysts for Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein said the backlog suggests strong memory orders and low foundry orders. "But slightly weak first-half orders combined with low-foundry orders and a strong end-demand cycle raises the possibility of orders actually rising into the first half, at least in the third quarter," the broker said.