MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) have been assigned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the thirteen ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $140.08.

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on MKSI. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on shares of MKS Instruments in a research note on Friday, December 13th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $145.00 target price for the company. Needham & Company LLC cut their price objective on MKS Instruments from $156.00 to $145.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 14th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating and set a $140.00 target price on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Benchmark cut their price target on MKS Instruments from $142.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 14th. Finally, Citigroup upgraded shares of MKS Instruments from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $130.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 6th.

MKS Instruments Stock Performance

MKS Instruments stock opened at $91.45 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.66, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.75. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $101.72 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $106.04. MKS Instruments has a 52-week low of $76.37 and a 52-week high of $147.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.93, a current ratio of 3.19 and a quick ratio of 2.04.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $2.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.92 by $0.23. MKS Instruments had a net margin of 5.30% and a return on equity of 18.94%. As a group, analysts anticipate that MKS Instruments will post 6.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MKS Instruments Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 24th were paid a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.96%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 24th. MKS Instruments’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.43%.

Insider Transactions at MKS Instruments

In other MKS Instruments news, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.46, for a total value of $25,426.50. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 17,384 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,607,324.64. This trade represents a 1.56 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Gerard G. Colella sold 8,000 shares of MKS Instruments stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.53, for a total transaction of $836,240.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 60,017 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,273,577.01. This represents a 11.76 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.46% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MKS Instruments

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its position in shares of MKS Instruments by 68.6% during the 4th quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 263 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 107 shares during the period. Proficio Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in MKS Instruments during the 4th quarter worth approximately $36,000. TD Private Client Wealth LLC acquired a new position in MKS Instruments during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its stake in MKS Instruments by 58.0% in the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 433 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 159 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. increased its stake in MKS Instruments by 424.1% in the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 414 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 335 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.79% of the company’s stock.

About MKS Instruments

MKS Instruments, Inc provides foundational technology solutions to semiconductor manufacturing, electronics and packaging, and specialty industrial applications in the United States, Germany, China, South Korea, and internationally. It operates through Vacuum Solutions Division (VSD), Photonics Solutions Division (PSD), and Material Solutions Division (MSD) segments.