SkyOak Wealth LLC Decreases Holdings in MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI)

SkyOak Wealth LLC reduced its stake in MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) by 7.2% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 1,856 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock after selling 145 shares during the period. SkyOak Wealth LLC’s holdings in MKS Instruments were worth $242,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in MKS Instruments in the first quarter worth $25,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC purchased a new stake in MKS Instruments in the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Rise Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in MKS Instruments in the 1st quarter worth about $26,000. Key Financial Inc bought a new stake in MKS Instruments in the 2nd quarter valued at about $39,000. Finally, BOKF NA purchased a new stake in MKS Instruments during the second quarter valued at about $39,000. Institutional investors own 99.79% of the company’s stock.

MKS Instruments Stock Performance

NASDAQ:MKSI opened at $107.84 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $7.23 billion, a P/E ratio of -4.10, a PEG ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 1.64. The company has a quick ratio of 2.31, a current ratio of 3.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.16. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $118.58 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $124.08. MKS Instruments, Inc. has a twelve month low of $63.44 and a twelve month high of $147.40.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.53 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.02 by $0.51. MKS Instruments had a net margin of 0.25% and a return on equity of 14.91%. The company had revenue of $887.00 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $866.38 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.32 earnings per share. MKS Instruments’s revenue for the quarter was down 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that MKS Instruments, Inc. will post 5.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MKS Instruments Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 6th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 26th were issued a dividend of $0.22 per share. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.82%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 26th. MKS Instruments’s dividend payout ratio is currently -3.30%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.97, for a total value of $31,891.75. Following the transaction, the director now owns 17,934 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,079,805.98. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, Director Jacqueline F. Moloney sold 250 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.46, for a total value of $30,865.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 10,533 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,300,404.18. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.97, for a total transaction of $31,891.75. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 17,934 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,079,805.98. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 2,325 shares of company stock worth $276,435. Corporate insiders own 0.46% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on MKSI shares. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on shares of MKS Instruments in a research note on Tuesday, September 3rd. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $129.00 target price for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald started coverage on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Tuesday, September 10th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $140.00 target price on the stock. Citigroup downgraded MKS Instruments from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $145.00 to $120.00 in a research report on Monday. KeyCorp lifted their price target on MKS Instruments from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, July 12th. Finally, Bank of America initiated coverage on MKS Instruments in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. They set a “buy” rating and a $160.00 price objective on the stock. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $142.00.

MKS Instruments Company Profile

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.