ASML offers €20,000 retention bonus as its market value nears $700 billion

Dutch lithography equipment maker ASML announced a €20,000 retention bonus for employees who stay with the company from 2027 through 2030. The conditional stock grant will be awarded on 1 January 2027 and vest on 1 January 2030, covering all eligible staff worldwide. The incentive comes as the semiconductor sector faces a severe skilled‑labor shortage, and rivals such as Samsung, TSMC and SK Hynix have introduced similar packages.

ASML posted second‑quarter net profit of €2.9 billion on revenue of €9.33 billion, with a 54 % gross margin, and shipped 86 extreme‑ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems. Strong demand has driven its market capitalization to about $700 billion, up roughly 60 % in 2026, making it Europe’s most valuable listed firm and sparking speculation that it could become the continent’s first trillion‑dollar company. The company plans to expand EUV production capacity by roughly 30 % annually through 2027‑2028, with orders booked through 2027. ASML employs about 44,500 people, more than half in the Netherlands and around 8,500 in the United States.