ASML bookings soar as SK Hynix plans bold capex push

ASML reported fourth-quarter bookings of €13.16 billion, up 86% and well above estimates, as AI-related demand boosted both memory and logic‑chip equipment. The Netherlands‑based company posted €2.89 billion profit on €9.72 billion in sales, guided 2026 sales to €34‑39 billion with a 51‑53% gross margin, and unveiled a buyback of up to €12 billion through 2028 plus a 17% dividend increase to €7.50 a share. In the same period SK Hynix signaled a substantial increase in capital expenditure after a 90% rise in Q4 profit and a 66% jump in revenue, driven by AI workloads and memory demand; both companies reflect a robust AI‑driven semiconductor cycle.