Dutch wafer‑processing equipment maker ASM International posted a stronger first‑quarter than expected, as chipmakers rush to expand capacity for artificial‑intelligence workloads. Sales climbed to 862.5 million euros, driven by logic and foundry customers seeking ever‑more sophisticated nodes. Clients such as TSMC and Intel said they need higher throughput and lower defect rates.

At constant‑currency terms the revenue rise measured 16 percent year‑over‑year, outpacing Visible Alpha’s consensus of 834.6 million euros. Analysts had warned that a slowdown in capital spending could dent equipment orders, yet the AI‑driven push kept the book‑to‑bill ratio healthy. The strong performance also helped lift the company's operating margin above 12 percent.

Investors welcomed the beat, nudging ASM’s share price modestly higher despite a slight dip in the latest session. The result underscores how AI spending is translating into tangible order flow for niche equipment suppliers, widening the gap between firms tied to memory chips and those serving logic fabs. Market participants now view wafer‑processing gear as a frontline beneficiary of the AI boom.