Heart-stopping news hit the tech market as ASML (NASDAQ:ASML), the powerhouse behind chip-making equipment, issued a stark warning about its financial future. On Wednesday, shares tumbled nearly 7% after CEO Christophe Fouquet hinted that 2026 could see stagnant revenue growth.

In an eye-opening second-quarter report, ASML boasted net bookings of a staggering $5.54 billion, substantially surpassing analysts' expectations of $4.44 billion. This surge in demand is predominantly fueled by the booming artificial intelligence sector.

However, the optimism is tempered with caution. Fouquet emphasized the growing uncertainty driven by macroeconomic and geopolitical factors, particularly tariffs that could impact sales. CFO Roger Dassen noted the company's proactive approach, collaborating closely with their supply chain to cushion any potential fallout.

"While we are still gearing up for growth in 2026, we can't guarantee it at this stage," Fouquet remarked. If the projections hold true, it would mark the first flat year for ASML's revenue since 2012, breaking a remarkable streak of growth.

Despite the downward pressure, Han Dieperink, CIO of Aureus Investments, remains optimistic. He pointed out that the robust bookings signal a resilient demand from customers, despite the troubling forecasts.

ASML's cutting-edge extreme-ultraviolet lithography systems are the backbone of advanced chips utilized in high-demand products like Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) GPUs and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) devices. Interestingly, sales to China have stabilized at 27% of total volumes over the last three quarters, surpassing previous estimates of 20%, indicating that Chinese chipmakers are still actively sourcing equipment ahead of stricter export controls.