Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning.

ASML Holding disclosed 28 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. ASML Holding reported the most risks in the “Tech & Innovation” category.

Risk Overview Q4, 2021

Risk Distribution

25% Tech & Innovation

18% Finance & Corporate

18% Macro & Political

14% Legal & Regulatory

14% Ability to Sell

11% Production

Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy

This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.

Risk Change Over Time

2020

S&P500 Average

Sector Average

Risks removed

Risks added

Risks changed

ASML Holding Risk Factors

New Risk (0)

Risk Changed (0)

Risk Removed (0)

No changes from previous report

The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.

The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.

Risk Highlights Q4, 2021

Main Risk Category

Tech & Innovation

With 7 Risks

Tech & Innovation

With 7 Risks

Number of Disclosed Risks

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

Recent Changes

1Risks added

0Risks removed

2Risks changed

Since Dec 2021

1Risks added

0Risks removed

2Risks changed

Since Dec 2021

Number of Risk Changed

-3

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

-3

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

See the risk highlights of ASML Holding in the last period.

Risk Word Cloud

The most common phrases about risk factors from the most recent report. Larger texts indicate more widely used phrases.

Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 28

Tech & Innovation

Total Risks: 7/28 (25%)Above Sector Average

Innovation / R&D2 | 7.1%

Innovation / R&D - Risk 1

The success of new product introductions is uncertain and depends on our ability to successfully execute our R&D programs

Our lithography systems and applications have become increasingly complex, and accordingly, the costs and time period to develop new products and technologies have increased. We expect such costs and time periods to continue to increase. In particular, developing new technology, such as EUV 0.55 NA (High-NA) and multibeam, requires significant R&D investments from us and our suppliers to meet our and our customers’ technology demands. Our suppliers may not have, or may not be willing to invest the resources necessary to continue the (co-)development of the new technologies to the extent that such investments are necessary. This may result in ASML contributing funds to such R&D programs or limiting the R&D investments that we can undertake. Furthermore, if our R&D programs are not successful in developing the desired new technology on time or at all, we may be unsuccessful in introducing new products and unable to recoup our R&D investments.

Innovation / R&D - Risk 2

We may face challenges in managing the industrialization of our products and bringing them to high-volume production

Bringing our products to high-volume production at a value-based price and in a cost-effective manner, depends on our ability to manage the industrialization of our products and our ability to manage costs. Customer acceptance of our products depends on performance of our products in the field. As our products become more complex, we face an increasing risk that products that we develop may not meet development milestones or specifications and that our products may not perform according to specifications, including quality standards. If our products do not perform according to specifications and performance criteria or if quality or performance issues arise, this may result in additional costs, reduced demand for our products, and our customers being unable to meet planned wafer capacity. Transitioning our newly developed products to full-scale production requires the expansion of our infrastructure, including enhancing our manufacturing capabilities, increasing supply of components and training qualified personnel, and may also require our suppliers to expand their infrastructure capabilities. If we or our suppliers are unable to expand infrastructure as necessary, we may be unable to introduce new technologies, products or product enhancements or reach high-volume production of newly developed products on a timely basis or at all. In addition, when we are successful in industrializing new products, it can take years to reach profitable margins, as was the case for EUV. New technologies might not have the same margins as existing technologies and we might not be able to adjust value-based pricing and or cost in an effective manner. In addition, the introduction of new technologies, products or product enhancements also impacts ASML’s liquidity, as new products may have higher cycle times to produce resulting in increased working capital needs. This impact on liquidity increases as our products become more complex and expensive. The capability, capacity and costs associated with providing the required customer support function to cover the increasing number of shipments and servicing a growing number of EUV systems that are operational in the field could affect the timing of shipments, and the efficient execution of maintenance, servicing and upgrades, which is key to the systems continuing to achieve the required productivity.

Trade Secrets2 | 7.1%

Trade Secrets - Risk 1

Defending against intellectual property claims brought by others could harm our business

In the course of our business, we are subject to claims by third parties alleging that our products or processes infringe upon their intellectual property rights. If successful, such claims could limit or prohibit us from developing our technology, manufacturing and selling our products. In addition, our customers or suppliers may be subject to claims of infringement from third parties, alleging that our products used by such customers in the manufacturing of semiconductor products and / or the processes relating to the use of our products infringe on one or more patents issued to such third parties. If such claims are successful, we could be required to indemnify our customers or suppliers for some or all of any losses incurred or damages assessed against them as a result of such infringement. We also may incur substantial licensing or settlement costs to settle claims or to potentially strengthen or expand our intellectual property rights or limit our exposure to intellectual property claims of third parties. Patent litigation is complex and may extend for a protracted period of time, giving rise to the potential for both substantial costs and diverting the attention of key management and technical personnel. Potential adverse outcomes from patent litigation may include payment of significant monetary damages, injunctive relief prohibiting our manufacturing, exporting or selling of products, and / or settlement involving significant costs to be paid by us.

Trade Secrets - Risk 2

Failure to adequately protect the intellectual property rights, trade secrets or other confidential information could harm our business

We rely on intellectual property rights such as patents and copyrights to protect our proprietary technology and applications. However, we face the risk that such measures could prove to be inadequate, and we could suffer material harm because, among other things: •Intellectual property laws may not sufficiently support our proprietary rights or may change in the future in a manner adverse to us; •Our confidentiality and licensing agreements with our customers, employees and technology development partners and others to protect our IP rights may not be sufficient or may be breached or terminated; •Patent rights may not be granted or interpreted as we expect; •Patents rights will expire which may result in key technology becoming widely available that may harm our competitive position; •The steps we take to prevent misappropriation or infringement of our proprietary rights may not be successful; •Intellectual property rights are difficult to enforce in countries where the application and enforcement of the laws governing such rights may not have reached the same level as compared to other jurisdictions where we operate; and •Third parties may be able to develop or obtain patents for similar competing technology. In addition, legal proceedings may be necessary to enforce our intellectual property rights and the validity and scope may be challenged by others. Any such proceedings may result in substantial costs and diversion of management resources, and, if decided unfavorably to us, could result in significant costs or have a significant impact on our business. We are subject to attempted misappropriation attacks, including theft of our trade secrets, proprietary customer data, intellectual property or other confidential information by third parties or our own employees. It is also possible that unauthorized third parties may obtain, copy, use or disclose our proprietary technologies, our products, designs, processes and other intellectual property despite our efforts to protect our intellectual property. In 2021, we became aware of reports that a company associated with XTAL Inc., DongFang JingYuan Electron (“DFJY”) was actively marketing products in China that could potentially infringe on ASML's IP rights. Read more in: Our performance in 2021 - Governance - Responsible business - Intellectual Property protection.

Cyber Security2 | 7.1%

Cyber Security - Risk 1

Changed

Cybersecurity and other security incidents, or other disruptions in our processes or information technology systems, could materially adversely affect our business operations

We rely on the accuracy, availability and security of our information technology systems. Despite the measures that we have implemented, including those related to cybersecurity, our systems could be breached or damaged by computer viruses and systems attacks, natural or man-made incidents, disasters or unauthorized physical or electronic access. We are experiencing an increasing number of cyberattacks on our information technology systems as well as the information technology systems of our suppliers, customers and other service providers, whose systems we do not control. These attacks include malicious software (malware), attempts to gain unauthorized access to data, and other electronic security breaches of our information technology systems. They also include the information technology systems of our suppliers, customers and other service providers that have led and could lead, for us, our customers, suppliers or other business partners - including R&D partners - to disruptions in critical systems, unauthorized release, misappropriation, corruption or loss of data or confidential information (including confidential information relating to our customers, employees and suppliers). Further, we depend on our employees and the employees of our suppliers to appropriately handle confidential and sensitive data and deploy our IT resources in a safe and secure manner that does not expose our network systems to security breaches or the loss of data. However, there is always a risk that inadvertent disclosure or actions or internal malfeasance by our employees or those of our suppliers could result in a loss of data or a breach or interruption of our IT systems. In addition, any system failure, accident or security breach could result in business disruption, theft of our intellectual property, trade secrets (including our proprietary technology), unauthorized access to, or disclosure of, customer, personnel, supplier or other confidential information, corruption of our data or of our systems, reputational damage or litigation. Furthermore, computer viruses or other malware may harm our systems and software and could be inadvertently transmitted to our customers' systems and operations, which could result in loss of customers, litigation, government investigation and proceedings that could expose us to civil or criminal liabilities and significant management attention and resources to remedy the damages that result. We may also be required to incur significant costs to protect against or repair the damage caused by these disruptions or security breaches in the future, including, for example, rebuilding internal systems, implementing additional threat protection measures, providing modifications to our products and services, defending against litigation, responding to regulatory inquiries or actions, paying damages, or taking other remedial steps with respect to third parties. Further, remediation efforts may not be successful and could result in interruptions, delays or cessation of service, unfavorable publicity, damage to our reputation, customer allegations of breach-of-contract, possible litigation, and loss of existing or potential customers that may impede our sales or other critical functions. Cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving. We remain potentially vulnerable to additional known or yet unknown threats, as in some instances, we, our customers, and our suppliers may be unaware of an incident or its magnitude and effects. We also face the risk that we expose our customers to cybersecurity attacks through the systems we deliver to our customers, including in the form of malware or other types of attacks as described above, which could harm our customers. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the level of remote working within our organization, which increases the risks of cybersecurity incidents. ASML visibility and importance for the semiconductor industry keeps on growing. There is a risk that this may lead to actions that may adversely impact the security of ASML or the safety of its employees. In addition, processes and systems may not be able to adequately support the growth. From time to time, we implement updates to our information technology systems and software, which can disrupt or shutdown our information technology systems. We may not be able to successfully launch and integrate these new systems as planned without disruption to our operations. For example, we are currently implementing a new ERP system and infrastructure (ONE program). As a result of this system implementation or otherwise, we have and could continue to experience disruptions in our operations. In 2021, we experienced delays of operations after the launch of a new logistics center, which resulted in a delay in production of some products.

Cyber Security - Risk 2

The nature of our operations exposes us to health, safety, and environment risks

Hazardous substances are used in the production and operation of our products and systems, which subjects us to a variety of governmental regulations relating to environmental protection, and employee and product health and safety, including the transport, use, storage, discharge, handling, emission, generation, and disposal of toxic or other hazardous substances. In addition, operating our systems (which use lasers and other potentially hazardous systems) can be dangerous and can result in injury. The failure to comply with current or future regulations could result in substantial fines being imposed on us, suspension of production, alteration of our manufacturing and assembly and test processes, damage to our reputation, and/or restrictions on our operations or sale or other adverse consequences. Additionally, our products have become increasingly complex. The increasing complexity requires us to invest in continued risk assessments and development of appropriate preventative and protective measures for health and safety for both our employees (in connection with the production and installation of our systems and field options and performance of our services) and our customers’ employees (in connection with the operation of our systems). Our health and safety practices may not be effective in mitigating all health and safety risks. Failing to comply with applicable regulations or the failure of our implemented practices for customer and employee health and safety could subject us to significant liabilities.

Technology1 | 3.6%

Technology - Risk 1

Our future success depends on our ability to respond timely to commercial and technological developments in the semiconductor industry

Our success in developing new technologies and products, and in enhancing our existing products, depends on a variety of factors. These include the success of our and our suppliers’ R&D programs and the timely and successful completion of product development and design relative to competitors. Our business will suffer if the technologies we pursue to assist our customers in producing smaller and more energy-efficient chips are not as effective as those developed by competitors, or if our customers do not adopt technologies that we develop or adopt new technological architectures that are less focused on lithography products. The success of our EUV 0.55 NA (High-NA) technology, which we believe is critical for keeping pace with Moore’s Law, remains dependent on continuing technical advances by us and our suppliers. We invest considerable financial and other resources to develop and introduce new technologies, products and product enhancements. If we are unsuccessful in developing (or if our customers do not adopt) new technologies, products and product enhancements such as EUV 0.55 NA and multibeam inspection, or if competitors successfully introduce alternative technologies or processes, our competitive position and business may suffer. In addition, we make significant investments into development of new products and product enhancements, and we may be unable to recoup some or all the investments that we have made. We may also incur costs related to inventory obsolescence, as a result of technological changes. Such costs may increase as the complexity of technology increases. Due to the highly complex nature and costs of our systems, including newer technologies, our customers may purchase existing technology systems rather than new leading-edge systems, or may delay their investment in new technology systems to the extent that such investment is not economical or required given their product cycles. Global economic conditions affect our customers’ investment decisions, leading to uncertainties on the timing around the introduction of and demand for new leading-edge systems. Some of our customers have experienced and may continue to experience delays in implementing their product roadmaps. This increases the risk of slowing down the overall transition period (or cadence) for the introduction of new nodes, and therefore new systems. We are also dependent on our suppliers to maintain their development roadmaps to enable us to introduce new technologies on a timely basis. If they are unable to keep pace, whether due to technological factors, lack of financial resources, or otherwise, this could prevent us from meeting our development roadmaps.

Finance & Corporate

Total Risks: 5/28 (18%)Below Sector Average

Accounting & Financial Operations1 | 3.6%

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1

We may not declare cash dividends and conduct share buyback programs at all or in any particular amounts in any given year

We aim to pay a semi-annual dividend that is growing (on an annualized basis) over time, and we conduct share buyback programs from time to time. The dividend proposal and amount of share buybacks in any given year will be subject to the availability of distributable profits, retained earnings and cash, and may be affected by, among other factors, the Board of Management’s views on our potential future liquidity requirements, including for investments in production capacity and working capital requirements, the funding of our R&D programs and for acquisition opportunities that may arise from time to time, and by future changes in applicable income tax and corporate laws. We may also suspend buyback programs from time to time, which would reduce the amount of cash we are able to return to shareholders. Accordingly, the Board of Management may decide to propose not to pay a dividend or pay a lower dividend and may suspend, adjust the amount of or discontinue share buyback programs or we may otherwise fail to complete buyback programs.

Debt & Financing3 | 10.7%

Debt & Financing - Risk 1

Counterparty credit risk

We are exposed to counterparty credit risks, in particular with respect to financial counterparties with whom we hold our cash and investments as well as our customers. As a result of our limited number of customers, credit risk on our receivables is concentrated. Our three largest customers (based on total net sales) accounted for €3,855.2 million, or 83.7%, of accounts receivable and finance receivables at December 31, 2021, compared with €2,757.0 million, or 80.1%, at December 31, 2020. Accordingly, business failure or insolvency of one of our main customers could result in significant credit losses.

Debt & Financing - Risk 2

Interest rate risk

We are exposed to interest rate risks. Our Eurobonds bear interest at fixed rates. Our cash and investments as well as our revolving credit facility bear interest at a floating rate. Failure to effectively hedge this risk could impact our financial condition and results of operation. In addition, we could experience an increase in borrowing costs due to a ratings downgrade (or expectation of a downgrade), developments in capital and lending markets or developments in our businesses.

Debt & Financing - Risk 3

We are exposed to treasury risks, including liquidity risk, interest rate risk, credit risk and foreign exchange risk

We are a global company and are exposed to a variety of financial risks, including liquidity risk, interest rate risk, credit risk foreign exchange risk, inflation risk.

Corporate Activity and Growth1 | 3.6%

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1

We may be unable to make desirable acquisitions or to integrate successfully any businesses we acquire

From time to time we may acquire, businesses or technologies to complement, enhance or expand our current business or products or that might otherwise offer us growth opportunities. Any such acquisitions could lead to failure to achieve our financial or strategic objectives, to perform as we plan or disrupt our ongoing business and adversely impact our results of operations. Furthermore, our ability to complete such transactions may be hindered by a number of factors, including potential difficulties in obtaining government approvals. Any acquisition that we make could pose risks related to the integration of the new business or technology with our business and organization. We cannot be certain that we will be able to achieve the benefits we expect from a particular acquisition investment. Such transactions may also strain our managerial and operational resources, as the challenge of managing new operations may divert our management from day-to-day operations. Furthermore, we may be unable to retain key personnel of acquired businesses or may have difficulty integrating employees, business systems, and technology. The controls, processes and procedures of acquired businesses may also not adequately ensure compliance with laws and regulations, and we may fail to identify compliance issues or liabilities. In connection with acquisitions, anti-trust and national security regulators have in the past and may in the future impose conditions on us, including requirements to divest assets or other conditions that could make it difficult for us to integrate the businesses that we acquire. Furthermore, we may have difficulty in obtaining or be unable to obtain anti-trust and national-security clearances, which could inhibit future desired acquisitions. As a result of acquisitions, we have recorded, and may continue to record, a significant amount of goodwill and other intangible assets. Current accounting guidelines require, at least annually and potentially more frequently, assessment of whether there are indicators that the value of goodwill or other intangible assets has been impaired.

Macro & Political

Total Risks: 5/28 (18%)Above Sector Average

Economy & Political Environment1 | 3.6%

Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1

We are exposed to economic and political developments in our international operations

Global trade issues and changes in and uncertainties with respect to multilateral and bilateral treaties and trade policies, and international trade disputes, trade sanctions, export controls, tariffs and similar regulations, impact our ability to deliver our systems and services internationally. In particular, our ability to deliver systems in certain countries such as China has been and continues to be impacted by our ability to obtain required licenses and approvals. The US government has enacted trade measures, including import tariffs, national security regulations and restrictions on conducting business with certain Chinese entities, restricting our ability to provide certain products and services to such entities without a license. The list of Chinese entities impacted by trade restrictions, as well as the export regulation requirements and the implementation and enforcement of such regulations are subject to change. Our business involves the sale of systems and services to customers in a number of countries, including China, where our business has grown in recent years, and includes sensitive technologies that may be the subject of increased export regulations, policies or practices. These and further developments in multilateral and bilateral treaties, national regulation, and trade, national security and investment policies and practices have affected and may further affect our business, and the businesses of our suppliers and customers. Such developments have impacted and continue to impact our ability to obtain necessary licenses, including permits for use of US technology and for employees producing and developing such technology. Such developments including the drive for technological sovereignty could also lead to long-term changes in global trade, competition and technology supply chains, which could adversely affect our business and growth prospects. Certain of our manufacturing facilities as well as customers are located in Taiwan. Customers in Taiwan represented 39.4% of our 2021 total net sales and 33.8% of our 2020 total net sales. Taiwan has a unique international political status. The People’s Republic of China asserts sovereignty over Taiwan and does not recognize the legitimacy of the Taiwanese government. Changes in relations between Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China, Taiwanese government policies, and other factors affecting Taiwan’s political, economic or social environment could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, certain of our facilities as well as customers are located in South Korea. Customers in South Korea represented 33.4% of our 2021 total net sales and 29.7% of our 2020 total net sales. There are tensions with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), which have existed since the division of the Korean Peninsula following World War II. A worsening of relations between those countries or the outbreak of war on the Korean Peninsula could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Natural and Human Disruptions1 | 3.6%

Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1

Changed

The COVID-19 or other pandemics may impact our operations

The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures implemented to address this pandemic globally continue to impact our business and our suppliers and customers. The pandemic has already had a significant impact on the global economy, which can potentially impact our end markets. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the level of remote working within our organization, which impacts productivity, may delay our roadmap, increase the risks of cybersecurity incidents and may impact our control environment. In addition, we are dependent on our suppliers, so disruptions to their operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic impact us and our ability to produce, deliver and service tools. Market demand for semiconductors and therefore our products and services can also be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and measures taken to address it. Also, an important part of our business involves installing and servicing tools at customer premises around the globe, and travel restrictions and vaccination requirements impact that activity. There is uncertainty about how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact global GDP development, end markets, our manufacturing capability and supply chain, and the longer this pandemic lasts the greater are the risks. The continuing impact of this pandemic on ASML will depend on future developments, including continued severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the actions from the Dutch and other foreign governments to contain the outbreak or address its impact which are outside of our control.

Capital Markets3 | 10.7%

Capital Markets - Risk 1

Currency risk

We are exposed to currency risks. Our Financial Statements are expressed in euros. Accordingly, our results of operations are exposed to fluctuations in exchange rates between the euro and other currencies. Changes in currency exchange rates can result in losses in our Financial Statements. We are particularly exposed to fluctuations in the exchange rates between the US dollar and the euro, and to a lesser extent to the Japanese yen, the South Korean won, the Taiwanese dollar and Chinese yuan, in relation to the euro. We incur costs of sales predominantly in euros with portions also denominated in US and Taiwanese dollars. A small portion of our operating results are driven by movements in currencies other than the euro, US dollar, Japanese yen, South Korean won, Taiwanese dollar or Chinese yuan. In general, our customers run their businesses in US dollars and therefore a weakening of the US dollar against the euro might impact the ability or desire of our customers to purchase our products at quoted prices.

Capital Markets - Risk 2

Liquidity risk

We are exposed to liquidity risks. Negative developments in our business or global capital markets could affect our ability to meet our financial obligations or to raise or re-finance debt in the capital or loan markets. In addition, we might be unable to repatriate cash from a country immediately for use elsewhere due to legal restrictions or required formalities.

Capital Markets - Risk 3

Added

Inflation risk

We are exposed to inflation for costs of goods, transport and wages as a result of supply shortages which may impact our profitability. Currently supply chain constraints has resulted in higher-than-normal inflation.

Legal & Regulatory

Total Risks: 4/28 (14%)Below Sector Average

Regulation2 | 7.1%

Regulation - Risk 1

We are subject to increasingly complex regulatory and compliance obligations

In recent years, our business has grown significantly in terms of sales, operations, employees and our business infrastructure. As a result, the complexity of complying with rules and regulations has increased. Furthermore, as we have expanded our business in countries where we did not previously operate, we have become increasingly subject to compliance with additional rules and regulations in such jurisdictions, including but not limited to anti-corruption, anti-bribery and anti-trust standards, which can be complex. We are also subject to investigations, audits and reviews by authorities in such jurisdictions regarding compliance with rules and regulations, including tax laws. Furthermore, the existing rules and regulations that we are subject to, including regulations relating but not limited to trade, national security, tax, exchange controls, reporting, product compliance, anti-corruption laws, anti-trust, data protection, are becoming more complex and the trade and national security environment has resulted in increasing restrictions. We also face the risk that trade, and security regulations could limit our ability to sell our products and services in certain jurisdictions. We have experienced delays in shipments permits and may experience restrictions on shipping products to certain customers. Such changes in the regulation that applies to our business can increase compliance costs and the risk of non-compliance. Non-compliance can result in fines and penalties as well as reputational damages. Furthermore, additional regulations could impact or limit our ability to sell our products and services in certain jurisdictions.

Regulation - Risk 2

Restrictions on shareholder rights may dilute voting power

Our Articles of Association provide that we are subject to the provisions of Dutch law applicable to large corporations, called 'structuurregime'. These provisions have the effect of concentrating control over certain corporate decisions and transactions in the hands of our Supervisory Board. As a result, holders of ordinary shares may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions by members of our Supervisory Board than if we were incorporated in the US or another jurisdiction. Our authorized share capital also includes a class of cumulative preference shares and we have granted Stichting Preferente Aandelen ASML, a Dutch foundation, an option to acquire, at their nominal value of €0.09 per share, such cumulative preference shares. Exercise of the Preference Share Option would effectively dilute the voting power of our outstanding ordinary shares by one-half, which may discourage or significantly impede a third party from acquiring a majority of our voting shares.

Taxation & Government Incentives1 | 3.6%

Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1

Changes in taxation could affect our future profitability

We are subject to income taxes in the Netherlands and the other countries in which we are active. Our effective tax rate has fluctuated in the past and may fluctuate in the future. Changes in our business environment can affect our effective tax rate. The same applies for changes in tax legislation in the countries where we operate, developments as driven by global organizations as the OECD, as well as the change in approach to tax-by-tax authorities. All these initiatives have already resulted in and may result in further increased compliance obligations for ASML. Additionally, this may result in increase of our effective tax rate in future years. Changes in tax legislation of jurisdictions we operate in, may adversely impact our tax position and consequently our net income. Our worldwide effective tax rate is heavily impacted by R&D incentives included in tax laws and regulations in the countries we operate in. Examples in this regard are the so-called innovation box tax legislation in the Netherlands and the Foreign Derived Intangible Income deduction / R&D credits we obtain in the US. In case jurisdictions alter their tax policies in this respect, this may have an adverse effect on our worldwide effective tax rate. In addition, jurisdictions levy corporate income tax at different rates. The mix of our sales over the various jurisdictions in which we operate may vary from year to year, resulting in a different mix of corporate income tax rates applicable to our profits, which can affect our worldwide effective tax rate and adversely impact our net income.

Environmental / Social1 | 3.6%

Environmental / Social - Risk 1

We may not be able to achieve our Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) objectives or adapt and respond timely to emerging ESG expectations and regulations

Companies across all industries are facing increasing scrutiny relating to their ESG policies. Investors and other stakeholders are increasingly focused on ESG practices and, in recent years, have placed increasing importance on the implications and social cost of their investments. In particular, within the semiconductor industry, there is focus on contribution to society and minimizing environmental and social impacts of products throughout all life cycle stages. Failure to achieve our ESG objectives, meet the emerging ESG expectations of our stakeholders and/or timely respond to enhanced regulations could negatively affect our brand and reputation. Climate change contributes to increasing severity and frequency of extreme weather events, rising sea levels and droughts that can impact continuity of our operations and/or our supply chain. Climate change concerns and the potential resulting environmental impact may result in new laws and regulations that may affect us, our suppliers, and our customers. Such laws or regulations could cause us to incur additional direct costs for compliance, as well as increased indirect costs resulting from our customers and suppliers. Furthermore, the ability to reduce our product-related environmental performance (such as energy efficiency) may be affected by the complexity of our technology and products. We are also dependent on our suppliers and their ability to reduce the ecological footprint. A global transition to a lower carbon economy has resulted in the imposition of increased regulations that could lead to technology restrictions, modification of product designs, an increase in energy prices and energy or carbon taxes, restrictions on pollution, required remediation equipment, or other requirements. A variety of regulatory developments have been introduced that focus on restricting or managing the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. This could result in a need to redesign products and/or purchase at higher costs new equipment or materials with lower carbon footprints.

Ability to Sell

Total Risks: 4/28 (14%)Below Sector Average

Competition1 | 3.6%

Competition - Risk 1

We face intense competition

The lithography equipment industry is highly competitive. Our competitiveness depends upon our ability to develop new and enhanced lithography equipment, related applications and services that are competitively priced and introduced on a timely basis, as well as our ability to protect and defend our intellectual property rights. We compete primarily with Canon and Nikon in respect of DUV systems. Both Canon and Nikon have substantial financial resources and broad patent portfolios. Each continues to offer products that compete directly with our DUV systems, which may impact our sales or business. In addition, adverse market conditions, industry overcapacity or a decrease in the value of the Japanese yen in relation to the euro, could further intensify price-based competition, resulting in lower prices, and lower sales and margins. We may also face competition from new competitors with substantial financial resources, as well as from competitors driven by the ambition of self-sufficiency in the geopolitical context. Furthermore, we face competition from alternative technological solutions or semiconductor manufacturing processes, particularly if we are unsuccessful in developing new EUV technology, products and product enhancements in a timely and cost-competitive manner. We also compete with providers of applications that support or enhance complex patterning solutions, such as Applied Materials Inc. and KLA-Tencor Corporation. These applications effectively compete with our Applications offering, which is a significant part of our business. The competition we face in our applications business may be higher than for our systems, as there are more competitors and potential competitors in this market.

Demand3 | 10.7%

Demand - Risk 1

A high percentage of net sales is derived from a few customers

Historically, we have sold a substantial number of lithography systems to a limited number of customers. Customer concentration can increase because of continuing consolidation in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. In addition, although the applications part of our holistic lithography solutions constitutes an increasing portion of our revenue, a significant portion of those customers are the same customers as those of our systems. Consequently, while the identity of our largest customers may vary from year to year, sales may remain concentrated among relatively few customers in any particular year. The recognized total net sales to our largest customer from each year accounted for €6,881.1 million, or 37.0% of total net sales in 2021, compared with €4,394.8 million, or 31.4% of total net sales in 2020. In 2021, 66.3% of total net sales were made to two customers. The loss of any significant customer or any significant reduction or delay in orders by a significant customer may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Demand - Risk 2

We derive most of our revenues from the sale of a relatively small number of products

We derive most of our revenues from the sale of a relatively small number of lithography systems (309 units in 2021 and 258 units in 2020). As a result, the timing of shipments, including any delays, and recognition of system sales for a particular reporting period from a small number of systems may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations in that period. This risk is increasing due to the higher average sales price of EUV systems as compared to DUV systems. In addition, we derive significant revenue from servicing and upgrading our installed base. However, we may not be able to increase revenues to the extent we planned as, for example, customers may perform more of these services themselves or find other third-party suppliers for that service.

Demand - Risk 3

The semiconductor industry can be cyclical and we may be adversely affected by any downturn

As a supplier to the global semiconductor industry, we are subject to the industry’s business cycles, of which the timing, duration and volatility are difficult to predict. The semiconductor industry has historically been cyclical. Newer entrants in the industry, including Chinese semiconductor manufacturers, could increase the risk of cyclicality in the future. Certain key end-market customers – Memory and Logic – exhibit different levels of cyclicality and different business cycles. Sales of our lithography systems, services and other holistic lithography products depend in large part upon the level of capital expenditures by semiconductor manufacturers. These in turn are influenced by industry cycles, the drive for technological sovereignty and a range of competitive and market factors, including semiconductor industry conditions and prospects. The timing and magnitude of capital expenditures of our customers also impact the available production capacity of the industry to produce chips, which can lead to imbalances in the supply and demand of chips. Reductions or delays in capital expenditures by our customers, or incorrect assumptions by us about our customers’ capital expenditures, could adversely impact our business. In addition, industry trends that are currently positively impacting our business such as increasing capital expenditures by our customers may not continue. Our ability to maintain profitability in an industry downturn will depend substantially on whether we are able to lower our costs and break-even level, which is the level of sales that we must reach in a year to have positive net income. If sales decrease significantly as a result of an industry downturn and we are unable to adjust our costs over the same period, our net income may decline significantly, or we may suffer losses. Furthermore, as the value per system increases and we have grown, and continue to grow, in terms of employees, facilities and inventories, it may be more difficult for us to reduce our costs to respond to an industry downturn.

Production

Total Risks: 3/28 (11%)Below Sector Average

Manufacturing1 | 3.6%

Manufacturing - Risk 1

We are dependent on the continued operation of a limited number of manufacturing facilities

All of our manufacturing activities, including subassembly, final assembly and system testing, take place in cleanroom facilities in Veldhoven, the Netherlands, in Berlin, Germany, in Wilton, Connecticut, US and in San Diego and San Jose, California, US, in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, in Beijing, China, and in Linkou and Tainan, Taiwan. These facilities may be subject to disruption for a variety of reasons, including work stoppages, fire, energy shortages, pandemic outbreaks, flooding, cyberattacks, sabotage or other disasters, natural and otherwise. We cannot ensure that alternative production capacity would be available if a major disruption were to occur. As our organization grows, we are not able to fully insure our risk exposure. In addition, not all disasters are insurable. As we are unable to duly insure against potential losses, we are subject to the financial impact of uninsured losses, which can have an adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operation.

Employment / Personnel1 | 3.6%

Employment / Personnel - Risk 1

Our business and future success depend on our ability to manage the growth of our organization and attract and retain a sufficient number of adequately educated and skilled employees

Our business and future success significantly depends upon our employees, including a large number of highly qualified professionals, as well as our ability to attract and retain employees. Competition for such personnel is intense and has intensified in the last year. Despite our ability to grow our employee base significantly, attracting sufficient numbers of qualified employees to meet our growing needs will remain a challenge. This risk of not being able to attract and retain qualified personnel increases as our business grows. Our R&D programs require a significant number of qualified employees. If we are unable to attract sufficient numbers of qualified employees, this could affect our ability to conduct our R&D on a timely basis. Also, the loss of key employees for unexpected reasons like illness a risk. Moreover, as a result of the uniqueness and complexity of our technology, qualified engineers capable of working on our systems are scarce and generally not available (e.g. from other industries or companies). As a result, we must educate and train our employees to work on our systems. Retention of those key employees is a critical success factor for us as a company. Furthermore, the increasing complexity of our products results in a longer learning curve for new and existing employees and suppliers leading to an inability to decrease cycle times and may result in the occurrence of significant additional costs. Our suppliers face similar risks in attracting qualified employees, including attracting employees in connection with programs that will support our R&D programs and technology developments. To the extent that our suppliers are unable to attract qualified employees, this could impact our R&D programs or deliveries of components to us. In recent years, our organization has grown significantly. As a result of this growth in a short period of time, we may be unable to effectively manage, monitor and control our employees, facilities, operations and other resources. Consistent pressure on our organization and people as a result of our growth may lead to wellbeing issues of our employees.

Supply Chain1 | 3.6%

Supply Chain - Risk 1

Our success is highly dependent on the performance of a limited number of critical suppliers of single-source key components

We rely on outside vendors for components and subassemblies used in our systems, including the design thereof. These components and subassemblies are obtained from a single supplier or a limited number of suppliers. As our business has grown, our dependence on single suppliers or a limited number of suppliers has grown, as the highly specialized nature of many of our components, particularly for EUV systems, means it is not economical to source from more than one supplier. Our sourcing strategy therefore (in many cases) prescribes 'single sourcing, dual competence'. Our reliance on a limited group of suppliers involves several risks, including a potential inability to obtain an adequate supply of required components or subassemblies, in a timely manner or at all, additional costs resulting from switching to alternate suppliers and reduced control over pricing and quality. Delays in supply of these components and subassemblies, which could occur for a variety of reasons, such as disruptions experienced by our suppliers, including work stoppages, fire, energy shortages, pandemic outbreaks, flooding, cyberattacks, sabotage or other disasters, natural and otherwise can lead to delays in delivery of our products which would impact our business. For example, certain of our suppliers experienced disruptions in their operations as a result of chip and material shortages. A prolonged inability to obtain adequate deliveries of components or subassemblies, or any other circumstance that requires us to seek alternative sources of supply, could significantly hinder our ability to deliver our products in a timely manner, which could damage relationships with our customers and materially impact our business. The number of lithography systems we are able to produce may be limited by the production capacity of one of our key suppliers, Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, which is our sole supplier of lenses, mirrors, illuminators, collectors and other critical optical components (which we refer to as optics). We have an exclusive arrangement (see related parties’ paragraph in our annual report) with Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH and if they are unable to maintain and increase production levels, we could be unable to fulfill orders, which could have a material impact on our business and damage relationships with our customers. If Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH were to terminate its supply relationship with us or if Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH is unable to maintain production of optics over a prolonged period, we would effectively cease to be able to conduct our business. From time to time, we experience supply constraints which can impact our production, particularly during periods of increasing demand as we have experienced in 2021 and which we continue to experience. In 2021, we experienced some delays and shortages in our supply chain, resulting in a late start on the assembly of a number of systems. Also, in 2021, due to high demand, we have been reducing cycle time in our factory to ship more systems. One way to reduce cycle time is through a fast shipment process that skips some of the testing in our factory. Final testing and formal acceptance then takes place at the customer site. This leads to a deferral of revenue recognition for those shipments until formal customer acceptance, but does provide our customers with earlier access to wafer output capacity. We and our suppliers are investing in additional capacity to meet this demand however to increase capacity takes time and we may be unable to meet the full demand of our customers for a few years. Further, we face the risk that demand may not continue to increase which could result in overcapacity and loss of investment in increasing capacity. In addition, some of our key suppliers, including Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, have a limited number of manufacturing facilities, the disruption of which may significantly and adversely affect our production capacity. Lead times in obtaining components have increased as our products have become more complex, and a failure by us to adequately predict demand for our systems or any delays in the shipment of components can result in insufficient supply of components, which can lead to delays in delivery of our systems and can limit our capabilities to react quickly to changing market conditions. Conversely, a failure to predict demand could lead to excess and obsolete inventory. We are also dependent on suppliers to develop new models and products and to meet our development roadmaps. To the extent our suppliers do not meet our requirements or timetable in product development, our business could suffer.

See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.

FAQ

What are “Risk Factors”?

Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.

They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.

It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.

How do companies disclose their risk factors?

Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.

Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.

Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.

According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.

How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?

Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.

You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.

Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.

A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.

What are all the risk factor categories?

TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.

1. Financial & Corporate

Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.

2. Legal & Regulatory

Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.

3. Production

Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.

4. Technology & Innovation

Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.

5. Ability to Sell

Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.

6. Macro & Political

Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.

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