33 Most Important AI Companies You Should Pay Attention To

19. ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 75 

YTD Return as of August 1: 52%

ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML) makes and sells advanced semiconductor equipment systems. One of the premier customers of the company is Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM), the leading chip supplier in the world. In the second quarter, TSM saw a 40% year over year growth in revenue, driven mostly by strong demand for AI chips from hyperscalers. This, in turn, benefited ASML too as the stock skyrocketed in anticipation of a similar bump in earnings. ASML is important to the AI world since it provides lithography systems that are needed to produce microchips. These microchips can be found in smartphones, computers, tablets, cars, industrial equipment, and other consumer electronic products.

Peter Wennink, the CEO of ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: ASML), said during the second quarter earnings call that there was healthy growth this year for the firm, primarily driven by AI-related demand for both Logic and Memory but also expected from other end markets as inventory levels improved. He added that there were secular growth drivers for the company in the semiconductor end markets, such as energy transition electrification and AI.