MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.23 EPS

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) posted its earnings results on Wednesday. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $2.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.92 by $0.23, Zacks reports. MKS Instruments had a return on equity of 15.79% and a net margin of 0.90%. MKS Instruments updated its Q1 2025 guidance to 1.130-1.670 EPS.

MKS Instruments Price Performance

Shares of MKSI stock opened at $111.20 on Thursday. MKS Instruments has a 52-week low of $97.54 and a 52-week high of $147.40. The stock has a market cap of $7.48 billion, a PE ratio of 247.11, a PEG ratio of 0.55 and a beta of 1.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98, a quick ratio of 2.21 and a current ratio of 3.42. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $111.18 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $110.55.

MKS Instruments Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Investors of record on Monday, February 24th will be issued a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.79%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 24th. MKS Instruments’s dividend payout ratio is currently 195.56%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MKSI has been the topic of a number of research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on MKS Instruments in a research note on Friday, December 13th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $145.00 price target on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price target on MKS Instruments from $143.00 to $128.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 10th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on MKS Instruments from $155.00 to $150.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, December 16th. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and set a $156.00 price target on shares of MKS Instruments in a research report on Wednesday, January 15th. Finally, Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $142.00 price objective on shares of MKS Instruments in a research report on Monday, November 18th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $141.75.

Insider Buying and Selling at MKS Instruments

In other news, Director Jacqueline F. Moloney sold 300 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.80, for a total transaction of $34,440.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 9,983 shares in the company, valued at $1,146,048.40. The trade was a 2.92 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.41, for a total transaction of $31,187.75. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 17,659 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,002,707.19. This represents a 1.53 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.46% 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.