MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) Shares Sold by UNIVEST FINANCIAL Corp

UNIVEST FINANCIAL Corp cut its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) by 72.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,601 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock after selling 9,392 shares during the quarter. UNIVEST FINANCIAL Corp’s holdings in MKS Instruments were worth $376,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of MKSI. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 4.7% during the 4th quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 2,143 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $224,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System lifted its position in MKS Instruments by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 18,700 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $1,952,000 after buying an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc boosted its stake in MKS Instruments by 5.2% during the fourth quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 2,068 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $216,000 after buying an additional 103 shares during the last quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC boosted its stake in MKS Instruments by 68.6% during the fourth 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 last quarter. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its holdings in MKS Instruments by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 8,729 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $949,000 after buying an additional 115 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.79% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In related 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 sale, the director now owns 17,384 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $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 is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Gerard G. Colella sold 8,000 shares of MKS Instruments stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the transaction, the director now 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. Insiders own 0.46% of the company’s stock.

MKS Instruments Stock Performance

NASDAQ MKSI opened at $87.64 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.93, a current ratio of 3.19 and a quick ratio of 2.04. The company has a market cap of $5.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.30, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.75. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $100.77 and a two-hundred day moving average of $105.81. MKS Instruments, Inc. has a 1-year low of $76.37 and a 1-year high of $147.40.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 net margin of 5.30% and a return on equity of 18.94%. As a group, analysts anticipate that MKS Instruments, Inc. will post 6.94 EPS for the current year.

MKS Instruments Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 24th were given a dividend of $0.22 per share. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.00%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 24th. MKS Instruments’s dividend payout ratio is currently 31.43%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on MKSI. Citigroup raised 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. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $140.00 target price on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Thursday, February 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on shares of MKS Instruments from $128.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, February 14th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on MKS Instruments from $150.00 to $147.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 14th. Finally, Benchmark cut their target price on MKS Instruments from $142.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 14th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $140.08.

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.