Sales, income ahead of expectations
Sees Q2 sales around 5.2 billion euros
2022 gross margins seen at about 52 rather than 53
Order book remains strong at 7 bln euros

AMSTERDAM, April 20 Reuters ASML Holding NV, a key supplier to computer chip makers, reported on Wednesday firstquarter sales of 3.5 billion euros 3.8 billion and net income of 695 million euros, slightly ahead of expectations.

Bookings remain strong as customers race to increase capacity amid a global semiconductor shortage, said ASML, which is Europe39;s largest technology company by market capitalisation, at 226 billion euros.

We are working very, very hard to navigate all the supply chain issues that everyone is dealing with, chief financial officer Roger Dassen said in a statement.

The company forecast second quarter sales of 5.15.3 billion euros and left a forecast for full year sales growth of 20 unchanged. Net bookings in the quarter were 7 billion euros.

ASML is the dominant maker of lithography systems, and its machines are used to create the circuitry of most computer chips.

Analysts had forecast net income of 621 million euros on revenue of 3.44 billion, according to Refinitiv data.

In January, ASML forecast firstquarter sales of 3.33.5 billion euros. L1N2TZ0CK

Dassen said full year gross margins might be closer to 52, rather than the 53 the company forecast in January, in part due to rising labour, transport, energy and cost increases.

ASML, which expects to catch up with its…