ASML says it cannot build enough machines for AI in 2027 and 2028
The only maker of EUV lithography machines posted a record quarter. Then it told customers the queue for the next two years is longer than its factories.
By The desk, News · · 1 min read
Tags: asml · chips · semiconductors · supply chain
- The news
- The only maker of EUV lithography machines posted a record quarter.
- Why it matters
- Then it told customers the queue for the next two years is longer than its factories.
- What's confirmed
- The photograph is generated for this story.
Tied to a named source. Not marked verified. ASML: Q3 2026 results press release
The news
ASML reported record third-quarter net sales of 11.7 billion euros and net income of 5.0 billion euros on October 14. Chief executive Christophe Fouquet said customers are raising their forecasts for the size and duration of AI-related investment, and that ASML's supply as currently planned for both 2027 and 2028 will not fully meet demand.
Why it matters
Lithography is the slowest link in the AI chip supply chain to expand. If ASML cannot keep up, data-centre compute cannot grow as fast as the money committed to it.
The details
ASML had already planned to raise low-NA EUV and DUV immersion capacity by 30 percent for 2027 and was studying a further 30 percent for 2028. It now says it is looking for ways to add 2028 capacity beyond that. CNBC reported that some customers already want to talk about orders for 2029 and 2030, which ASML is not yet accepting.
The company narrowed its 2026 sales guidance to 44 to 45 billion euros. Its shares still fell in US trading on the day, in a broad chip-stock selloff.
Our read
Opinion: For two years the AI capacity debate was about Nvidia allocations and power grids. ASML has now put a date on the next ceiling. The interesting question is who gets first place in its queue, because that decides whose chips exist in 2028.
What we could not check
- We did not see ASML's order book or which customers are asking for 2029 and 2030 slots.
- Capacity percentages are company plans, not delivered output.
Sources
The photograph is generated for this story. It does not show the people named in it.