ASML updates market on long-term semiconductor lithography opportunities

ASML Holding NV (ASML) today, in a meeting with financial analysts and investors, recognizes a potential for the global semiconductor lithography market to grow to above €10 billion by 2012 from €5 billion in 2006, supporting annual growth for the lithography market of 13% on average. ASML estimates are based on semiconductor market forecasts from industry analysts and customer node transition roadmaps, combined with expectations for higher lithography capital intensity needed to manufacture future generations of semiconductors.

Consistent with market analyst forecasts for semiconductor market growth, ASML also reiterates its potential to achieve €5 billion in revenue by 2010. This expectation is supported by accelerating success of its immersion lithography machines. To date, more than four million silicon wafers have been processed with ASML’s immersion systems, enabling customers to make more powerful or cheaper semiconductors.

ASML discusses specific long-term market opportunities and trends:

• ASML is preparing to support future growth of the semiconductor industry with multiple lithography technologies that support Moore’s Law well into the next decade. These technologies include extreme ultraviolet (EUV), computational lithography, double patterning, as well as 3D device integration enablers like overlay and CD uniformity. All options require sophisticated lithography which is expected to lead to continued growth of overall lithography expenditures, while playing to ASML’s strengths in leading technology, high productivity and best value of ownership.
• Several factors may have a positive impact on the creation of value over time, including overall revenue growth – enabled by market expansion as well as market share gains as demonstrated recently in Japan and North America – together with manufacturing cost efficiencies and the development of DFM products based on Brion technologies.

A live webcast of the Investor Day will be available on asml.com from 10:00 CET.