BE Semiconductor Hits Record High, AI Orders Double
BE Semiconductor (Besi) reaches a new all-time high on Thursday, April 23, driven by the publication of quarterly results marked by a doubling of orders related to artificial intelligence. The stock is up more than 3% in session, at €239.30, surpassing the previous peak of €235.40 reached the day before. The year-over-year performance now stands at 156.8%.
First Quarter 2026 Results Unveiled
This morning, the Dutch chip assembly specialist revealed its first quarter 2026 results, showing a spectacular surge in order intake. Demand for hybrid bonding systems, a key technology for AI-dedicated processors, has allowed the order book to double compared to last year. This momentum confirms BE Semiconductor's strategic positioning in a rapidly growing structural segment. However, the picture is not without nuances. The gross margin has slightly eroded over the period, indicating that component inflation is impacting profitability despite the group's price increases. This discrepancy between volume growth and cost pressure is a point of attention for the coming quarters. In contrast, other European sector equipment manufacturers like ASML and ASM International have seen declines of 3.18% and 0.93% respectively in session, while comparable American companies such as Micron (+8.48% at Wednesday's close) and AMD (+6.67%) have made significant gains.
Significant Rally in Stock Price
At €239.30, the stock is trading well above its 50-day moving average, currently at €175.28, reflecting the magnitude of the recent rally: nearly 10% increase over seven sessions and more than 36% over three months. This significant gap indicates a rapid acceleration of the price, which has deviated from its medium-term trend. The Bollinger Bands confirm this tension: the price is significantly above the upper limit set at €202.97, which is a classic signal of potential overbuying. The RSI, at 50, does not yet reflect this extreme due to recent volatility, but the technical configuration calls for caution. The stock has also significantly exceeded its identified resistance threshold at €197.60, now far below the current price. In European markets, the CAC 40 is down 0.06% in session while the DAX is down 0.07%, illustrating a generally flat context on the continent this Thursday morning.