ASML Holding N.V., a leading Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer, experienced a dramatic drop in its stock price following an accidental early release of its third-quarter earnings report. The report, which was published a day ahead of schedule, revealed a downward revision of the company's 2025 sales outlook, leading to a 16% plunge in ASML's share price. This marks the steepest one-day decline for the company since its IPO in 2002.

The early release of ASML's earnings report showed that the company expects its 2025 net sales to grow to a range between 30 billion and 35 billion euros, a reduction from the previous guidance of 30 billion to 40 billion euros. This revision is attributed to slower-than-expected recovery in key market segments, despite strong growth in AI-related investments. ASML's CEO, Christophe Fouquet, noted that while AI developments remain strong, other segments are recovering more gradually, leading to customer cautiousness.

ASML's third-quarter results showed total net sales of 7.5 billion euros and a net income of 2.1 billion euros, surpassing analyst expectations. However, the company's bookings were significantly lower than anticipated, at 2.6 billion euros, compared to forecasts ranging from 4 billion to 6 billion euros.

The impact of ASML's earnings leak extended beyond the company, affecting the broader semiconductor sector. Major semiconductor stocks, including Nvidia and Arm Holdings, saw significant declines, contributing to a sector-wide sell-off. The iShares Semiconductor ETF fell by over 4%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index also dipped amidst the sell-off.

ASML's stock closed at 668.10 euros on the Euronext Amsterdam exchange, down from its opening price, with trading temporarily halted due to the sharp decline. The company attributed the early release to a technical error and is working on a full explanation of the incident.

Despite the current challenges, ASML remains optimistic about its long-term growth prospects, citing continued strength in AI, electrification, and energy transition trends. The company expects its fourth-quarter net sales to be between 8.8 billion and 9.2 billion euros, with a gross margin between 49% and 50%.