MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) Sets New 1-Year Low – Here’s What Happened

Shares of MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) reached a new 52-week low during trading on Monday . The company traded as low as $80.22 and last traded at $80.36, with a volume of 215846 shares. The stock had previously closed at $84.89.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of MKS Instruments from $150.00 to $147.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of MKS Instruments from $128.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, February 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on MKS Instruments in a research note on Friday, December 13th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $145.00 price target for the company. Benchmark cut their price objective on MKS Instruments from $142.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 14th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC lowered their target price on MKS Instruments from $156.00 to $145.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 14th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $140.08.

MKS Instruments Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 2.04, a current ratio of 3.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.93. The firm has a market cap of $5.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.20, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.75. The business’s 50 day moving average is $106.74 and its two-hundred day moving average is $108.34.

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

MKS Instruments Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 7th. Investors of record on Monday, February 24th were given a dividend of $0.22 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 24th. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.11%. MKS Instruments’s payout ratio is presently 31.43%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Jacqueline F. Moloney sold 300 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 10th. The stock was 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 of the company’s stock, valued at $1,146,048.40. This represents a 2.92 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, Director Gerard G. Colella sold 8,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.53, for a total value of $836,240.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 60,017 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,273,577.01. This represents a 11.76 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 8,575 shares of company stock worth $896,107. 0.46% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On MKS Instruments

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC boosted its stake in 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 valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. TD Private Client Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of MKS Instruments in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its position in shares of MKS Instruments by 424.1% during the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 414 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $45,000 after buying an additional 335 shares during the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc grew its holdings in MKS Instruments by 58.0% during the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 433 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 159 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new stake in MKS Instruments in the 3rd quarter valued at $50,000. 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.