ASML vs. IBM: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASML and IBM, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ASML’s market capitalization stands at 312.40 billion USD, while IBM’s is 271.36 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
ASML’s beta of 1.22 points to significantly higher volatility compared to IBM (beta: 0.65), suggesting ASML has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.
ASML trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, IBM is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | ASML | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | ASML Holding N.V. | International Business Machines Corporation |
| Country | NL | US |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Semiconductors | Information Technology Services |
| CEO | Christophe D. Fouquet | Arvind Krishna |
| Price | 794.5 USD | 291.97 USD |
| Market Cap | 312.40 billion USD | 271.36 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.22 | 0.65 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | March 15, 1995 | September 24, 1915 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASML and IBM by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ASML
52.08%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 41.84%
- Q3
- 15.81%
- Median
- 6.31%
- Q1
- -5.54%
- Min
- -30.12%
ASML’s Return on Equity of 52.08% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Semiconductors industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
IBM
21.32%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 47.24%
- Q3
- 23.27%
- Median
- 12.85%
- Q1
- 2.22%
- Min
- -26.63%
IBM’s Return on Equity of 21.32% is on par with the norm for the Information Technology Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
ASML
30.91%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 30.91%
- Q3
- 11.34%
- Median
- 4.08%
- Q1
- -2.17%
- Min
- -19.59%
In the upper quartile for the Semiconductors industry, ASML’s Return on Invested Capital of 30.91% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
IBM
8.48%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 28.29%
- Q3
- 13.19%
- Median
- 7.24%
- Q1
- 0.23%
- Min
- -18.82%
IBM’s Return on Invested Capital of 8.48% is in line with the norm for the Information Technology Services industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
Net Profit Margin
ASML
28.33%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 51.69%
- Q3
- 19.67%
- Median
- 8.56%
- Q1
- -5.44%
- Min
- -38.60%
A Net Profit Margin of 28.33% places ASML in the upper quartile for the Semiconductors industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
IBM
8.71%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 20.47%
- Q3
- 11.62%
- Median
- 5.97%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- -4.62%
IBM’s Net Profit Margin of 8.71% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Information Technology Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
ASML
33.76%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 58.03%
- Q3
- 22.12%
- Median
- 8.40%
- Q1
- -3.73%
- Min
- -36.14%
An Operating Profit Margin of 33.76% places ASML in the upper quartile for the Semiconductors industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
IBM
16.36%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 29.42%
- Q3
- 14.75%
- Median
- 8.92%
- Q1
- 2.62%
- Min
- -11.92%
An Operating Profit Margin of 16.36% places IBM in the upper quartile for the Information Technology Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ASML | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 52.08% | 21.32% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 19.14% | 3.76% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 30.91% | 8.48% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 28.33% | 8.71% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 33.76% | 16.36% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 52.01% | 57.04% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ASML
1.52
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 9.10
- Q3
- 5.23
- Median
- 3.09
- Q1
- 2.49
- Min
- 1.02
ASML’s Current Ratio of 1.52 falls into the lower quartile for the Semiconductors industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
IBM
1.01
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 3.41
- Q3
- 2.37
- Median
- 1.58
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.00
IBM’s Current Ratio of 1.01 falls into the lower quartile for the Information Technology Services industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ASML
0.21
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 0.97
- Q3
- 0.46
- Median
- 0.21
- Q1
- 0.05
- Min
- 0.00
ASML’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.21 is typical for the Semiconductors industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
IBM
2.49
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 2.63
- Q3
- 1.16
- Median
- 0.48
- Q1
- 0.09
- Min
- 0.01
IBM’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Information Technology Services industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.49. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ASML
--
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 36.25
- Q3
- 29.12
- Median
- 7.01
- Q1
- -1.22
- Min
- -18.18
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ASML is currently unavailable.
IBM
5.92
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 17.52
- Q3
- 10.04
- Median
- 4.66
- Q1
- 0.80
- Min
- -10.50
IBM’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.92 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Information Technology Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ASML | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.52 | 1.01 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.91 | 0.97 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.21 | 2.49 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.08 | 0.46 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -0.47 | 4.53 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -- | 5.92 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ASML and IBM. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ASML
0.85%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 6.48%
- Q3
- 0.93%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASML’s Dividend Yield of 0.85% is consistent with its peers in the Semiconductors industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
IBM
2.29%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 16.57%
- Q3
- 1.39%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.29%, IBM offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Information Technology Services industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ASML
28.49%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 204.29%
- Q3
- 31.85%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASML’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 28.49% is within the typical range for the Semiconductors industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
IBM
112.81%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 112.81%
- Q3
- 20.98%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
IBM’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 112.81% is above 100%. This means the company is paying out more in dividends than it earned, a practice that is often unsustainable and could indicate a risk to future dividend stability.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ASML | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.85% | 2.29% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 28.49% | 112.81% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ASML
29.72
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 86.15
- Q3
- 47.38
- Median
- 27.87
- Q1
- 18.89
- Min
- 4.73
ASML’s P/E Ratio of 29.72 is within the middle range for the Semiconductors industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
IBM
49.51
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 49.12
- Q3
- 36.91
- Median
- 24.84
- Q1
- 15.88
- Min
- 1.55
At 49.51, IBM’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Information Technology Services industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ASML
1.90
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 4.73
- Q3
- 2.80
- Median
- 1.11
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.01
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Semiconductors industry.
IBM
9.51
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 5.35
- Q3
- 3.79
- Median
- 2.23
- Q1
- 1.19
- Min
- 0.03
IBM’s Forward PEG Ratio of 9.51 is exceptionally high for the Information Technology Services industry. This suggests its stock price is very high relative to its expected earnings growth, signaling significant overvaluation risk.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ASML
8.44
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 21.96
- Q3
- 10.21
- Median
- 4.45
- Q1
- 2.32
- Min
- 0.48
ASML’s P/S Ratio of 8.44 aligns with the market consensus for the Semiconductors industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
IBM
4.32
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 8.15
- Q3
- 4.17
- Median
- 2.14
- Q1
- 1.00
- Min
- 0.10
IBM’s P/S Ratio of 4.32 is in the upper echelon for the Information Technology Services industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ASML
14.78
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 13.12
- Q3
- 6.49
- Median
- 3.31
- Q1
- 1.74
- Min
- 0.23
At 14.78, ASML’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Semiconductors industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
IBM
10.08
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 11.78
- Q3
- 6.14
- Median
- 3.23
- Q1
- 1.97
- Min
- 0.42
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Information Technology Services industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ASML | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 29.72 | 49.51 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 1.90 | 9.51 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 8.44 | 4.32 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 14.78 | 10.08 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 27.93 | 22.73 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 22.09 | 26.54 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 8.27 | 5.21 |