Semiconductor equipment leader ASML Holding NV announced it will grant a one-time stock award of €20,000 (approximately NT$740,000) to each of its roughly 45,000 global employees on January 1, 2027, totaling nearly €900 million, in a bid to retain key talent and share operational windfalls driven by surging demand for artificial intelligence.
ASML disclosed the retention plan in a company-wide internal email, but the stock award comes with strict vesting conditions: employees must remain continuously employed until January 1, 2030, to formally take ownership of the shares and dispose of them. A company spokesperson told media: "This stock incentive program is designed to recognize employees' hard work, but more importantly, it is for the work that needs to be done in the coming years."
The substantial employee incentive plan reflects ASML's position at the heart of the AI infrastructure investment boom. The company reported second-quarter results on Wednesday, with net sales of €9.33 billion and net profit of €2.9 billion, both beating analyst expectations. ASML raised its full-year sales forecast for the second time this year, with the latest guidance at €43 billion to €45 billion, far exceeding analysts' prior estimate of €39.3 billion.
To meet massive orders stretching into 2028, ASML also announced expansion plans, with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system production capacity set to increase to 65 units this year, rise another 30% next year, and is studying a further 30% expansion the year after. In addition to existing customers such as TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix, Elon Musk's Terafab chip manufacturing project is also expected to contribute significant incremental orders for ASML.
ASML's employee reward measures are not an isolated case. As AI demand drives product sales to record highs, several global chip giants have successively launched profit-sharing mechanisms. South Korea's Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have already distributed bonuses to employees; TSMC (2330.TW), the world's largest contract chipmaker, also announced in May that the average profit-sharing payout for employees in 2025 would increase by more than 30%.
However, for some ASML employees, this €20,000 stock award may require enduring a period of uncertainty before it can be collected. ASML announced earlier this year that, despite record performance in 2025, it would cut 1,700 positions, primarily management roles within the information technology department. The company explained at the time that the layoffs were due to an overly complex organizational structure that was hindering the efficiency of core business operations.
After months of negotiations with unions, ASML reached an agreement in June, committing to no forced layoffs until May 1, 2027, and will prioritize attempting to redeploy redundant employees to other internal positions. The company is currently advancing an internal restructuring plan aimed at streamlining management layers, reducing bureaucratic processes, and improving operational efficiency.
Headquartered in Veldhoven, the Netherlands, ASML is the world's only manufacturer capable of producing advanced extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems and other high-end lithography equipment, which are indispensable core tools for producing advanced semiconductors. Benefiting from the AI investment wave, ASML's stock price has surged more than 60% this year, with its latest closing market capitalization of €590.3 billion securing its position as Europe's most valuable listed company.
Market analysts note that ASML's decision to replace cash bonuses with stock awards tied to long-term employment conditions can both respond to external expectations that AI beneficiaries "share the windfall" and effectively lock in key talent, preventing the loss of core technical personnel in the AI talent war. However, for employees facing potential layoffs, whether they can stay until 2030 to cash in this reward remains highly uncertain.
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