Better Semiconductor Stock: ASML vs. TSMC
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) and ASML (NASDAQ: ASML) are two of the most important semiconductor companies in the world.
TSMC, which is based in Taiwan, is the world's most advanced contract chipmaker. Major chipmakers like AMD, NVIDIA, and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) all rely on TSMC to produce their smallest and most powerful chips. Even Intel, which traditionally manufactures its own chips, has started outsourcing some of its chips to TSMC.
ASML, which is based in the Netherlands, is the world's top producer of lithography machines. These machines are used to etch circuit patterns into silicon wafers; chip foundries like TSMC use ASML's top-tier EUV (extreme ultraviolet) machines to manufacture their smallest chips.
Source Fool.com