ASML expects shortage of machines for AI chip production
The chipmaking equipment manufacturer raises its revenue forecast but warns that planned production cannot fully keep pace with demand.
Follow-up to: ASML raises production after record quarter Wednesday, 14 October 2026, 08:00
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ASML expects chip machine production in 2027 and 2028 to lag behind customer demand. The Veldhoven-based company reported this on Wednesday while presenting record figures for the third quarter.
ASML posted revenue of €11.7 billion and net profit of €5.0 billion in the third quarter. Revenue was therefore higher than in the second quarter, when ASML reported revenue of €9.3 billion and profit of €2.9 billion.
The company expects revenue of between €14.2 billion and €15.2 billion in the fourth quarter. For 2026 as a whole, ASML now expects revenue of between €44 billion and €45 billion, with a gross margin of approximately 56 per cent. The company mainly raised the lower end of its previous forecast.
The warning about capacity does not concern a sudden production stoppage. ASML says that planned deliveries for 2027 and 2028 will not fully meet customer demand. The company is therefore examining whether capacity can be expanded further in 2028.
According to ASML, demand is being driven primarily by investment in artificial intelligence. Chipmakers are building new factories and expanding existing production lines for this purpose. Demand for lithography machines is therefore outpacing what ASML and its suppliers can make under their current plans.
The revenue figures do not provide a complete picture of future orders, because ASML has published less information about order intake since 2026. The company does state that order-book momentum increased in every quarter this year. The warning is therefore ASML’s own forecast, not an independent measurement of global chip demand.
For customers, the warning means that expansion plans may have to be adjusted to the availability of machines. Pressure may also increase for suppliers. At the same time, ASML stresses that it is already increasing production and that higher volumes in the coming quarters should contribute to further growth.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The key figures and outlook were checked directly against ASML’s quarterly publication. The text clearly distinguishes between measured results and the company’s own expectations.
- confirmed ASML reported revenue of €11.7 billion and net profit of €5.0 billion in the third quarter. — This is stated in ASML’s quarterly publication. source
- confirmed ASML expects revenue of between €44 billion and €45 billion for 2026 as a whole. — ASML gives this range in its outlook. source
- confirmed According to ASML, planned production for 2027 and 2028 will not fully meet customer demand. — This warning appears in the explanation accompanying the quarterly results. source
- confirmed According to ASML, demand is being driven primarily by investment in artificial intelligence. — ASML and Reuters link the strong demand to AI investment. source
Editor's note
The revenue, profit and forecast figures come from ASML’s quarterly publication. The expected capacity shortages are a company forecast; an independent estimate of future demand is lacking.Sources
- ASML reports €11.7 billion total net sales and €5.0 billion net income in Q3 2026 — ASML Netherlands BV via GlobeNewswire
- ASML raises capacity plans as AI demand drives record Q3 sales — Reuters via Investing.com
- Quarterly results — ASML
The story so far
- Wednesday, 14 October 2026, 08:00 ASML raises production after record quarter
- Wednesday, 14 October 2026, 09:58 ASML expects shortage of machines for AI chip production (this article)
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