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Share-based compensation
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
Share based compensation Share-based compensation
ASML has the following share-based compensation plans in place for its employees:
Long-term incentive (LTI) bonus plans
Option plans
Employee Share Purchase Plan
Long-term incentive bonus plans
Our long-term incentive (LTI) bonus plans are governed by the Employee Umbrella Share Plan, effective since January
1, 2014, and is applicable to all employees. The primary objective of this plan is to attract, reward, and retain qualified
and experienced professionals in a competitive international labor market. Equity incentives granted under this plan
typically have a vesting period of 2.5-to-3 years and are subject to service and/or performance criteria.
Employees may be granted either service-based or performance-based share plans. Under service-based plans,
shares are granted at the start and vest after a defined service period. Performance-based plans follow a similar
structure but are conditionally granted and subject to company-specific performance criteria, which may include both
market-based and non-market-based elements. These shares vest upon completion of the service period and
achievement of the performance targets at the vesting date.
The General Meeting approved the adoption of the most recent Remuneration Policy for the Board of Management,
including the number of shares to be issued. The updated policy outlines the target and maximum levels of the long-
term incentive plans, associated performance measures, and payout zone percentages. Remuneration policies for
employees are approved by the Board of Management. Additionally, the General Meeting authorized the Board of
Management to issue and grant ordinary shares, set limits on restricting or excluding shareholders’ pre-emption
rights, and repurchase ordinary shares on behalf of the company within defined parameters.
The table below outlines the performance criteria and their respective weightings for the LTI performance plans
granted in 2025.
LTI performance plan criteria
Market/Non-market element
Weight
Relative TSR
Market
25%
Strategic value drivers
Non-market
35%
Technology Leadership Index
Non-market
20%
ESG measures
Non-market
20%
Total
100%
Following the US executive order 14173, the non-financial ESG performance metrics were modified as follows:
For the employees based in the US, the gender diversity performance measures are omitted, and an increased
weighting is applied on the Employee engagement and Inclusion score (13.33%), and
For the employees outside the US, the gender diversity performance measures are calculated excluding US
employees.
All employees who are eligible for the LTI plan 2023-2025 and 2024-2026 will be impacted by this modification. There
are no incremental fair value and no incremental compensation costs arising from the modifications.
Accounting policy
The fair value of the market-based element is measured at the grant date incorporating the expected vesting and
expected value at vesting, using a tailored Monte Carlo simulation model. The fair value of the service plans and the
non-market-based elements of the performance plans is the share price at grant date less the present value of
expected dividends during the vesting period, as participants are not entitled to dividends payable during the vesting
period. The likelihood of the conditions being met for service and non-market performance plans is assessed as part
of the company’s best estimate of the number of equity instruments that will ultimately vest.
Participants are entitled to a conditional grant of company shares upon awarding. Performance plans are subject to
cliff vesting and are accounted for on a straight-line basis. Service-only plans are subject to graded vesting. Each
installment of the plan is therefore accounted as a separate grant with a separate fair value. This means that each
installment will be separately measured and attributed to expense over the related vesting period. Expenses for the
market-based element are recognized during vesting at a fixed vesting level (as the vesting expectation is
incorporated in the fair value) provided that all other performance conditions are met. Expenses for the non-market-
based elements and service plans are recognized during vesting at expected vesting levels, which are updated
during the vesting period as necessary, with a final update/adjustment at vesting date. All share-based remuneration
expenses for equity-settled awards are recognized as personnel expense, with a corresponding entry in equity,
during the vesting period of the award. Share-based remuneration expenses are included in the same income
statement line or lines in the functional grouped Consolidated statements of operations as the compensation paid to
the employees receiving the stock-based awards.
The most important assumptions for the calculation of the fair value of shares for the LTI performance plans, which
include market-based performance criteria, are set out in this table:
Year ended December 31
2023
2024
2025
Share price in € at grant date
620.1
707.1
580.9
Expected volatility ASML
46.2%
40.0%
41.7%
Average volatility of the peer group
50.0%
43.3%
46.6%
Vesting period
2.9 years
2.9 years
2.7 years
Dividend yield
0.9%
0.7%
0.9%
Risk free interest rate (Eurozone)
2.4%
2.4%
1.8%
Risk free interest rate (US)
3.9%
4.2%
3.9%
An overview of the incurred and expected expenses for the LTI plans are set out in the following table:
Year ended December 31 (€, in millions)
2023
2024
2025
Incurred expenses
134.8
172.6
202.3
Expected expenses of conditionally granted plans in future periods
187.2
246.1
215.0
Weighted average period for recognizing these expected expenses
1.6 years
1.5 years
1.4 years
Recognized income tax benefit (excluding excess income tax benefits)
16.3
28.2
32.0
Details with respect to shares granted and vested during the year are set out in the following table:
  
EUR-denominated
USD-denominated
Year ended December 31
2023
2024
2025
2023
2024
2025
Total fair value of shares vested during the year (in millions)
175.5
161.4
139.4
127.0
155.2
166.6
Weighted average fair value of shares granted
587.42
801.78
636.49
624.10
848.18
660.67
A summary of the status of conditionally outstanding shares as of December 31, 2025, and changes during the year
ended December 31, 2025, is presented below:
  
EUR-denominated
USD-denominated
 
Number
of shares
Weighted
average
fair value at
grant date
Number
of shares
Weighted
average
fair value at
grant date
Conditional shares outstanding at January 1, 2025
280,353
680.02
410,680
734.50
Granted
261,198
636.49
279,674
660.67
Vested
(203,871)
650.87
(229,822)
711.06
Forfeited
(6,314)
632.69
(13,191)
714.28
Conditional shares outstanding at December 31, 2025
331,366
664.54
447,341
700.98
Option plans
Since 2017, we no longer grant any options, but there are still outstanding options which may be exercised by
employees.
Accounting policy
The grant-date fair value of stock options was estimated using a Black–Scholes option valuation model. This Black–
Scholes model required the use of assumptions, including expected share price volatility, the estimated life of each
award and the estimated dividend yield. The risk-free interest rate used in the model is determined, based on an
index populated with euro-denominated European government agency bonds with high credit ratings and with a life
equal to the expected life of the equity-settled share-based payments. Our option plans typically vest over a three-
year service period, with any unexercised stock options expiring 10 years after the grant date. Options granted have
fixed exercise prices equal to the closing price of our shares listed at Euronext Amsterdam on grant date. The
purchase of shares against the exercise price is settled with the employees involved through deductions on their
salary and the issuance of shares upon exercising the stock options is deducted from our treasury shares.
Details with respect to stock options exercised and outstanding are set out in the following table:
  
EUR-denominated
USD-denominated
Year ended December 31
2023
2024
2025
2023
2024
2025
Weighted average share price at stock option exercise
613.03
834.48
722.84
678.41
911.23
840.14
Aggregate intrinsic value of exercised stock options (in millions)
8.1
10.2
8.8
4.8
8.2
6.8
Weighted average remaining contractual term of exercisable
options (in years)
1.48
0.83
0.32
1.43
0.84
0.30
Aggregate intrinsic value of exercisable stock options (in millions)
19.7
11.4
4.6
15.9
8.2
4.5
Aggregate intrinsic value of outstanding stock options (in millions)
19.7
11.4
4.6
15.9
8.2
4.5
The number and weighted average exercise prices of stock options as of December 31, 2025, and changes during the
year then ended are presented below:
  
 EUR-denominated
USD-denominated
 
Number
of options
Weighted
average exercise
price per ordinary
share (in €)
Number
of options
Weighted
average exercise
price per ordinary
share (in $)
Outstanding, January 1, 2025
19,336
87.48
13,734
95.58
Granted
Exercised
(13,779)
87.04
(9,090)
94.62
Forfeited
Expired
(78)
93.03
(1)
88.10
Outstanding, December 31, 2025
5,479
88.52
4,643
97.47
Exercisable, December 31, 2025
5,479
88.52
4,643
97.47
Details with respect to stock options exercised in the relevant year and outstanding stock options as of December 31,
2025, are set out in the following table:
EUR-denominated
USD-denominated
Range of exercise
prices (in €)
Number of
outstanding options
Weighted average
remaining
contractual term of
outstanding (years)
Range of exercise
prices (in $)
Number of
outstanding options
Weighted average
remaining
contractual term of
outstanding (years)
8090
3,569
0.19
8090
0.00
90100
1,910
0.56
90100
2,976
0.15
100110
0.00
100110
1,667
0.56
Total
5,479
0.32
Total
4,643
0.30
Employee Share Purchase Plan
Additionally, we offer an Employee Share Purchase Plan to our payroll employees, except the Board of Management,
which is excluded from participation in this plan. Through this plan, payroll employees are given the opportunity to
buy our shares through their monthly paycheck. The maximum amount for which employees can participate in the
plan amounts to 10.0% of their annual gross base salary. When employees retain the shares for a minimum of 12
months, ASML will pay out a 20.0% retention bonus in cash on the initial participation amount. This bonus is recorded
as part of personnel expenses.
Accounting policy
The employee’s entitlements to a bonus under employee share purchase plans are accounted for on an accrual
basis. The shares for employee share purchase plans are issued on a quarterly basis and the share purchase price is
based on the closing share price of our listed shares on grant date, which is the date after our quarterly filings. The
purchased shares by employees are issued from our treasury shares.
In 2025, ASML received €142.3 million (2024: €124.0 million; 2023: €99.4 million) from issuance of shares for our
employee share purchase plan.