ASML Holding NV vs iShares Gold Trust — how do they compare? ASML Holding NV trades at $1,820.47 (market cap $689.17B), while iShares Gold Trust trades at $82.85. The key difference: ASML Holding NV pays a 0.5% dividend while iShares Gold Trust pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ASML | IAU | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $689.17B | — |
Sector | Technology | Commodities - Metals/Agriculture |
52-Week High | $1.99K | $101.57 |
52-Week Low | $725.85 | $62.49 |
Enterprise Value | $682.70B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.5% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ASML trades at $1,819.44, up 4.96% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The stock shows strong fundamentals with 2025 revenue of $32.67B and net income of $9.61B, though valuation ratios like a P/E of 61.28 are elevated. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q1 and Q2 2026, and analyst consensus is a Buy with a $2,390 price target. News highlights AI-driven demand for its semiconductor equipment.
Outlook is positive due to AI lithography demand and High-NA EUV expansion, but risks include high valuation sensitivity and geopolitical threats from Chinese self-sufficiency efforts. The stock offers growth potential with 31% upside to the consensus target, balanced by execution and competitive risks.
IAU, the iShares Gold Trust ETF, is trading at $83.305, up 0.96% with a bullish technical signal overall. The ETF benefits from gold's recent momentum as spot gold approaches $4,430/oz amid cooling inflation data and geopolitical tensions. Moving averages show bullish alignment while oscillators indicate some overbought conditions. Recent news highlights gold's safe-haven appeal with institutional buying and positive price forecasts.
The outlook remains positive given gold's role as an inflation hedge and safe-haven asset, supported by central bank demand and favorable CPI data. Risks include potential Fed policy shifts and dollar strength. Conservative investors favor IAU for its low 0.25% expense ratio and lower volatility compared to mining equities.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Founded in 1984 and based in the Netherlands, ASML is the leader in photolithography systems used in the manufacturing of semiconductors. Photolithography is the process in which a light source is used to expose circuit patterns from a photomask onto a semiconductor wafer. The latest technological advances in this segment allow chipmakers to continually increase the number of transistors on the same area of silicon, with lithography historically representing a meaningful portion of the cost of making cutting-edge chips. Chipmakers require next-generation EUV lithography tools from ASML to continue past the 5-nanometer process node. ASML's products are used at every major semiconductor manufacturer, including Intel, Samsung, and TSMC.
Read more on ASML →IAU is a physically backed ETF that seeks to reflect the performance of the price of gold. It provides a convenient and liquid way for investors to include gold in their portfolios as a potential hedge.
Read more on IAU →