Samsung made $2.2 billion from selling a portion of ASML shares

According to local media citing a Samsung half-year report, the Korean tech giant's stock in ASML decreased from 6.2 million shares (1.6% stake) to 2.7 million (0.7% stake) at the end of Q2 2023. Samsung reportedly sold 3,547,715 shares or the equivalent of 0.9% of its stake in ASML.

ASML is the only semiconductor manufacturing supplier in the world that makes EUV (extreme ultraviolet lithography) factory equipment.

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Samsung is preparing for more investments in its chip facilities

Industry insiders explain Samsung's move to sell 0.9% of its ASML shares as a way to secure funds for more semiconductor investments. In other words, although the company sold a portion of its ASML shares, the ~$2.24 billion it gained will likely be poured back into its semiconductor business.

The semiconductor market is expected to rebound in the second half of this year, and market watchers believe Samsung is planning on investing in state-of-the-art production lines being built in Texas, USA, its packaging lines in Cheonan, and memory semiconductor foundries in Pyeongtaek, South Korea.

Samsung confirmed, “We sold some of our ASML shares in the second quarter of this year.” An industry insider cited by the media said “Samsung's equation for success is to make preemptive investments in preparation for a boom […].”

The Korean tech giant acquired its first 3% stake in ASML in 2012. By 2016, Samsung sold nearly half its stake. At that time, the value of its investment increased a whopping 17x.