ASML CEO: 2026 is a year of growth, the United States will continue to push for export restrictions on China
ASML CEO Fu Kai expects 2026 to be a year of growth for the company, despite the slowdown in growth in 2025. He pointed out that the US government will continue to push for export restrictions on China, and expects this pressure to persist regardless of who wins the US presidential election. ASML's net sales in the third quarter were approximately 7.5 billion euros, with a net profit of 2.1 billion euros, and order volume decreased by 53% compared to the previous period. Fu Kai mentioned that the Netherlands and Europe are discussing the effectiveness of further restrictions
According to the financial news app Zhitong Finance, Christophe Fouquet, the CEO of ASML.US, stated on Tuesday that he expects 2026 to be a year of growth for the company. It is reported that ASML still expects its sales to grow in 2025, although at a slower pace. Fouquet said, "We also expect 2026 to be a year of growth, but it is too early to quantify accurately."
A week before Fouquet made the above remarks, ASML warned that its growth in 2025 would slow down as the electronic product market, apart from chips related to artificial intelligence, is weak. ASML's financial report for the third quarter revealed net sales of approximately 7.5 billion euros, net profit of around 2.1 billion euros, and a gross profit margin of 50.8%. The order intake for the third quarter was only 2.63 billion euros, a 53% decrease from the previous quarter, significantly below the market's expectation of 5.39 billion euros. The company also forecasts that total net sales in 2025 will increase to between 30 billion and 35 billion euros, compared to the previous guidance range of 30 billion to 40 billion euros.
Furthermore, Fouquet mentioned that the U.S. government will continue to push for further restrictions on the company's exports to China. He expects that regardless of who wins the U.S. presidential election, the pressure on the company's exports to China will continue, stating, "If you look at the geopolitical landscape, I think it's clear that the U.S. government will continue to exert pressure and demand more restrictions."
ASML anticipates that sales of unrestricted old model equipment in China will account for 20% of its total sales in the future, down from 50% in recent quarters.
Fouquet also added that the Netherlands and Europe are discussing whether further restrictions belong to national security or trade policy, and whether they are effective. He mentioned the competition between China and the U.S., saying, "One of the debates is, does this really concern national security?"